Hunters Blood
by bassocontinuo
Summary: AU After being bitten by a werewolf, Kenshin is haunted by hellish nightmares that are slowly dredging up a new darkness within him.
1. Chapter 1: A Sword in the Window

Authors Note (2010): The first chapter was originally published in 2005 but due to extenuating circumstances, I went off the grid before I even really got started.

The good news is that being older and wiser, I will hopefully turn out a better story in the end. Here is the revised first chapter. Not too much has changed besides general pruning and polishing. Hopefully the writing flows better now.

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

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Chapter 1: A Sword in the Window

The lazy red-head rolled out of bed at the usual time…fifteen minutes before he had to leave. He gave up battling the alarm which had been set to ring every five minutes, precisely the time it took him to fall back to sleep. Like a zombie, the sleepy eyed boy stumbled to the kitchen area to set up the coffee pot, the life-blood of any high school student. Just as awkwardly he stumbled next to the bathroom. The sound of running water could be heard just seconds later.

A far more coherent person emerged later, tower wrapped around his waist as he closed the distance from the bathroom to closet in three strides. Kenshin selected his clean pressed school uniform from a closet full of clothes that were all relatively dull. As a matter of fact, that statement could be used to describe the rest of the small L-shaped apartment which he called home. The white walls were devoid of any pictures or posters that would ordinarily adorn the walls of any nineteen year-old's room like wallpaper. Everything was tucked away neatly in its place. If you shook the whole place upside down you weren't likely to find any alcohol, drugs, or porn of any kind. Kenshin had never been into any of that, a fact his friend Sano found completely mystifying.

Stark and simple, the room was devoid of anything distinct that gave insight into the occupant's character. The only unique thing worth any notice about the place was a master smith katana that rested on the windowsill by his bed. He had drawn it once in his lifetime on his sixteenth birthday when it had been given to him by Father Hiko; since then it had merely been collecting dust where it lay. It had been a touching sentiment from the man he had adopted as a surrogate father, almost on the day he had reached maturity in the eyes of tradition. It was a precious gift worth quite a bit; yet, still Kenshin felt only sadness from the weapon. The sword really had no place in the modern age. Today these weapons reminiscent of the age of art and warfare were good only for collecting dust on the shelves belonging to collectors. It had no future, and the art's great history was fading from the minds of all but historians as time passed.

His attention strayed to the weapon this morning. His violet eyes traced the dark lacquered sheath from end to hilt. A deep red near black, it reminded him of the color of dried blood. At times he felt like that old sword, adrift and alone in the new world abandoned by the childhood he left behind.

He finished combing through his long red hair which was still wet from this morning's shower and put all thoughts of ancient weapons and his own self pity aside. What did the world care about loneliness when you had an Ancient Japanese Lit. exam that day. It was a real shame, he thought with a glanced out the window. The rainy season would be coming soon and there wouldn't be many more of these perfect days. That there would not.

He finished his ten minute grooming session by tying his hair back, with the exception of his bangs. Kenshin couldn't actually remember when he had started letting his hair grow out, only that it used to really piss his _father _off. He should probably just cut it off now. There had been too many damnable experiences of being mistaken for a girl or approached by some men of the other orientation, yet letting go just wasn't him, he grudgingly admitted. His past would not be forgotten even if he was the only one to remember.

Kenshin gulped down his coffee and laid the cup in the sink. He then picked up a silver chain and pendant that lay on the counter where he placed it every night before bed. He really was a creature of habit.

Clasping a silver pendant depicting his Catholic Saint, Saint Benedict, around his neck Kenshin strolled out the door. The pendant had belonged to his mother, not that it had done his mother much good. She had worn it to protect herself from the demons and devils she believed plagued the world, but in the end it was just a lump of silver and nothing more. His mother had been a kind woman, superstitious, believing whole heartedly in church doctrine. What good was Catholic doctrine when it disallowed divorce when the man she had married was as good as a demon when he was drunk. What protection had they ever offered her; leaving her with only a lump of silver as protection. Kenshin kept the pendant and kept her faith as a way of honoring her.

He heard the door to his apartment mechanically lock behind him as he headed out for school. A familiar silhouette waited for him at the corner, soft tendril of smoke drifting up towards the sky from the butt of a lit cigarette. The boy was a good deal taller than Kenshin. They were both the same age, older that the others in their classes, although Kenshin had far different reasons for this than his delinquent friend. The embroidered emblem of St. Jude's Catholic Academy on the left pocket of his black blazer seemed contradictory to Sano's gangster like appearance.

Sano smiled arrogantly. "Damnit Kenshin, its about time. Given any thought to just ditching class today?" Kenshin didn't even respond. Every morning Sano tempted him with this question, and at least most mornings Kenshin politely refused. But this morning, he was far too tempted to indulge in this act of delinquency. So Kenshin instead said nothing.

"What the hell were you doing this morning, Kenshin? It isn't likely you had a girl up there with is it?"

Kenshin rolled his eyes. "Well from that statement Sanouske, I'm assuming you didn't get much studying done last night," he said in avoidance of the subject.

"Thought as much. Kenshin, I am going to say this with all the love in my heart for you as a friend...you need to get laid." The taller boy slapped him on the back sending Kenshin teetering forward a few steps. Sano had a reputation, and it wasn't for ever holding his strength back. The older boy was more muscle than brains, Kenshin had observed on numerous occasions.

"Kenshin, you live alone in your own place. You don't have any annoying parents to watch over your shoulder twenty-four-seven. Do you know how many guys would die to be in your place"

"Oh yeah my life is _perfect_." Kenshin snorted.

"Maybe not, but you could at least try and enjoy some of the perks. You have all the freedom a self tortured youth like yourself could ever want. "Shit, I hope you're not thinking about entering the priesthood like your old man, and if you are all the more reason to find yourself a girl **now**."

"He isn't my old man." Kenshin snapped reaching an intersection. "And you don't have to worry I don't really have the _discipline _for the clergy that I do not." He said more lightheartedly. There was an awkward silence in the air that hung between the two friends while they waited for the crosswalk light to turn green.

"Sorry man," Sano muttered as a taxi went roaring by.

"Already forgotten. So has this new prize of yours tried to make you quit smoking yet?"

"Oh shut the hell up." Sano threatened meaning an obvious yes. "Still, she is quite the wildcat." He grinned obviously pleased with himself. "I would almost consider it for her."

"Almost Sano?" Kenshin teased, but was cut short by the sudden ringing of the school bell only a block away. The two boys broke into a solid run with Sano quite audibly shouting a string of curses that would put the toughest Marine to shame.

The two boys stumbled into class late as usual awaiting a reprimanding from the woman who wore a nun's habit standing in front of the class. Sister Takahashi tapped her foot impatiently at the front of the room as they took their seats. Behind those spectacles of hers were the dark eyes of a hawk. If there was one thing he had learned all theses years of attending Saint Jude's Academy it was to step lightly around the Sisters.

"Really, I thought you would at least make it to Tuesday before showing up late." Their teacher scolded starting off this ritual Monday morning tradition. Kenshin and Sano tood breathlessly at the front of the class while the rest of the students watched on amused by the reaming they received. A few of the boys openly snickered, while the girls scowled up at the rest. It was the same every week.

"Sagara-san, Himura-san, you will both submit letters of apology to me in class tomorrow, and let me stress to you that and want both them and you here on time tomorrow. If you're late twice in a week as is your usual habit is, it means detention as I am sure you both know."

Kenshin sighed. _Oh we know all too well_.

It wasn't really that he was a troublemaker, but Sano was another matter. Most teachers took pity on the red haired student, noticing how he always managed to get dragged forcefully into situations. But pity did little to save one from the noose. Discipline and consequence were both strictly enforced here as was the case in most private institutions. Sano's fights generally didn't allow for innocent bystanders. Kenshin fought back only to the extent of defending himself. He was not some untrained hooligan in the martial arts, and because of this had no desire to use what little knowledge he did have to push around a weaker opponent and beat him unmercifully to the ground. The priest that took Kenshin in had taught him a number of tricks he had learned before joining the priesthood. At the time, Father Hiko, had assumed Kenshin's bruises and cuts were from being bullied at school. Kenshin was grateful to him even though his conclusion had been a little off. The lessons had given him his life, and a new father to replace the old.

Sano wasn't simply a common street fighter. Aside from brute strength the second way the spiky-haired older boy had established a tight hold over the male student body through his monopoly on the gambling market. Sano's on the side gambling ring over school athletic matches was a complex network throughout the school that nothing the teachers did seemed to cut it off or ferret hard evidence out from the underground against Sanosuke. He had been before the tribunal for expulsion three times this year, but the rooster hadn't had its wings clipped yet.

And then there was Sano's third major vice, women, the worst of his weaknesses. Quite a number of hearts had been broken, and there didn't seem to be an end to this trend either. Sano's tastes in women were rather flighty, preferring older more mature women although not willing to grow up himself. There wasn't a girl in the school who hadn't received some token of his affections at one time or another, except for a select few who had been labeled untouchables. The priestess girl, Tomoe, who sat always at the back of the class near the window was one of those. Those eyes of hers, when she wasn't staring out the window, bored into you like a drill if you stared at them long enough. But usually the girl was off in her own world gazing at some point in the horizon that held more meaning to her than the path in front of her.

"Miss Kamiya, without any further interruptions the floor is yours." Mrs. Takahashi took her seat at the desk, another girl took her place at the front of the classroom commanding their attention. Her waist length black hair, tied back in a high ponytail with a black ribbon matching her uniform, fluttered behind her when she walked. Kenshin was aware how the eyes of every boy followed her, yet oddly enough to his knowledge none of them would have ever approached her in that way. With dark bangs framing bright blue eyes and pale skin, she would be considered pretty by most standards, and yet Kamiya Kaoru was one of the those untouchables none of them would even consider as girlfriend material.

"Ohaiyo mina-san." She said pleasantly respectfully bowing to the class.

It wasn't that she was one of those clinging annoying girls, or one with excess baggage in her past; Sano for one wouldn't have cared. It could have been easier to understand if she had some jealous boyfriend still hanging around, but rumor said that this was not the case. That is, of course, if rumor was to be believed.

"As you all know the end of the year school festival is coming, and as rising fourth year students it is our responsibility to make this year's class exhibit something special. From what I have been hearing from the student council, the lower classmen have come up with some impressive ideas. I would find it a personal affront to my individual honor sitting on the council if we were to be out done by the younger children. Do we allow them to run around thinking themselves our betters? She said as confident as any general knowing what words to choose to rally the troops. The class answered her in a chorus of indignation.

That was really at the heart of the matter. She was confident, but not to the point of arrogance. Her surety in herself made her stand out above the others. She was the model student with perfect grades and adored by teachers. Along with being their class representative for as long as he could remember, she was captain of the Kendo club and a member of the track team. She was by all appearances perfect. It was this aura about her that drove others away. Most men could not stand to be with someone like that for very long. She had a way of making you feel keenly aware of your insecurities. Not many girls were very close friends with her either except for one chatter box named Misao who never seemed to be away from her side. Kaoru was the image of control, dependant on no one, which made her first among leaders and last on the popularity charts. Today she stood there happily, wearing the same fixed smile she wore everyday. Kenshin, who was consumed by his own various vices, wondered if it were possible to be happy and still lonely at the same time.

"Next year we will all be seniors," she said. It could have been Kenshin's imagination, but he was sure she grimaced when her eyes had past over Sano. Sanousuke however, was oblivious to everything except for the blonde sitting in front of him.

Kaoru didn't miss a beat and continued on with her speech. "Let's give this school a little taste of what it will be like when we own this place. Does anyone want to come forward with ideas?" With that the classroom exploded with clapping and howling from the boys. Kenshin nodded his approval. Her little ploy had worked using the competitive spirit in all upper classmen to incite the desired result.

The stereotypical events were of course proposed, half the class arguing for a Haunted House, the rest shouted for a Tea House while Sister Takahashi yelled for them all to settle down and go about this in a controlled manner. Kaoru, the slightest bit of irritation showing on her features, went to the board and carved her nails vertically into the solid board in a one slow motion. Hands flew to ears as the entire class cringes as one, the first sign of unity they had shown in the last fifth teen minutes

"My apologies mina, but for the good of productivity I politely request that you refrain from this needless shouting," her voice dripping with kindness and restraint. About eight hands shot up after that.

By the end of the first bell it had been decided that a Circus would have been too juvenile, a Disco bar would have been to lame, and Suzuki's idea of a laser show would have been too expensive. It was Kaoru's friend Misao who actually came to the rescue proposing Arabian Nights as the theme for their exhibit. The idea was voted upon and by lunch it was agreed that Tomoe would tell fortunes at a small charge to help pay for the tent and food that would be provided.

Pleased with themselves the noisy classroom began slowly filing out headed in the direction of the cafeteria. Sano, had already skipped out pursuing another appetite; Kenshin wasn't sure whether it was the cigarettes or that blonde girl this time.

At the door however, a soft hand resting on his arm stopped him. He turned slowly only to find Kaoru looking a little less than her normally confident self standing before him.

"Er...I'm sorry did you need..." He stammered but before even being given a chance to complete the sentence Kaoru bowed deeply.

"Gomenasai, I am very sorry but I have a problem and wondering if you could do me a favor."

"Sure, but what is it that..."

"I need a ride to the train station this Sunday, and if you wouldn't mind...I'd like some company that day." Cutting him off again she spat out the words hurriedly. "You see every year I go and leave flowers at my parents grave. Misao normally goes with me this day but she can't this time because her mother needs her at home."

Kenshin stared dumbfounded at the raven haired girl. In his recollection he couldn't remember her saying more than three words at a time to him. "Yeah I guess," he grunted. "Do you mind if I ask why me? We've never really talked much and I'm sure one of your other friends would be more pleasurable company."

"I don't really have..." Kaoru shut her mouth before finishing the sentence confirming Kenshin's earlier assertions. "Nobody I know has a car or bike and the station is pretty far away. I've heard that you do from the other boys, and frankly I'd rather it be you than any of those others."

"And I'm a neutral right?" Kenshin smiled.

"No! No that's not it." It was Kaoru's time to stammer. Her cheeks were tinged faintly with rose. "I didn't mean..."

Kenshin laughed. "No, don't worry I apologize. I didn't mean to give you a hard time about it. I know the sort you're talking about and I don't really blame you for not trusting them." This was not the Kaoru he saw every day laughing and smiling with his friends. It was different but oddly natural. "So what time do you want me to pick you up."

She looked obviously relieved. "Arigatou Kenshin. I figure if we leave by seven we can make the eight o'clock train and still have enough time in town to catch the last train back to Kyoto that same day. I'll be waiting." She smiled and slipped a folded piece of paper into his hand before darting down the hallway.

Kenshin watched her run off, still some what confused as to what just happened. He held in his hand Kaoru's phone number and address, and for once his awkward stupidity didn't mess things up for him. He still didn't believe it and neither would Sano, which was exactly the reason his friend would not be finding out about this.

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End Notes:

If you enjoyed this, please leave a review. Your critiques and encouragement are very helpful, and will keep me moving forward. Ciao!

* gomenasai - I'm sorry

* mina - everyone

* arigatou - thank you


	2. Chapter 2: Flowers on the Grave

Chapter 2: Flowers on the Grave

Kaoru heard him before she saw him, or rather heard his bike and suddenly found it very hard to breathe. She quickly downed some water the relax the muscles in her throat and went over her check list one last time. See she had money for tickets, flowers, and dinner, watch cell phone, and keys. Yes. Everything was in order, she smiled at herself for her preparedness.

She looked out the window of the two-story, modest house. Kenshin sat abreast his black Kawasaki motorcycle staring up at the house. "Mou, is he just going to sit there and wait for me to come get him?" She said irritably, but truthfully she was a little nervous and didn't know what to do herself. This wasn't really a date after all. He was simply a friend doing her a favor. Or at least that was what she kept telling herself to keep her pulse steady and the butterflies at bay. If she thought about it too long, she might start wondering why she felt qualified to think of him as friend enough to do this favor for her.

There had only been a scant few conversations between them. Kenshin never said much in class, but Kaoru knew that he didn't smoke or carry on like the other boys did. Kenshin hardly seemed like the sort of guy who would hang around with that gangster wanna-be Sagara-san, and yet the two were friends. Kenshin Himura, she didn't understand him. He was always polite and courteous, but there wan an edge to him that made him different from the other boys in high school. Sometimes you could almost see the giant chip he carried on his shoulder, but in the next instant he could shrug it off as if it were nothing. She took one last look in the mirror adjusting the deep indigo ribbon that matched her tank top for the fifth time today.

A glance at the clock caused her to yelp and run racing for the stairs. "Bye mom and dad I'll see you later today." She called and waved to a picture that hung on the mantel. With that she was out the door, stopping only to lock up the house and take a deep breath.

Kenshin was leaning up against his motorcycle, waiting for her patiently. Kaoru's face darkened as she took in what had to be the worst combination of colors she had seen in an outfit. He wore a red shirt beneath a black jacket which wouldn't have been bad if it weren't for his vibrant red hair. It made his shirt seem a shade on the fuchsia side. It was not a good color on him. No one is perfect, she forced herself to remember.

"Good morning, Kenshin." She said cheerfully noticing he was a bit on the bleary side. She hoped it wasn't too early for him. She wasn't in the habit of sleeping in but clearly he was.

"Morning," he yawned, "ready to go?" Kenshin asked offering her a spare white helmet. Timidly she took the offered piece of safety equipment and hoped he didn't notice her hesitation. "Have you ever ridden a motorcycle before Kaoru-dono?" He questioned.

"No, but there is a first time for everything," she said with more confidence. She noticed a mischievous gleam in those violet eyes of his before he hide behind the black visor of his helmet. Kaoru tilted her head up proudly, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing her unnerved by all this. In one motion she climbed onto the seat behind him, entwining her slim arms around his waist. The machine roared to life a second later, her hand tightened around him with the sudden lurch of motion. The two peeled off down the street as the rose colors of dawn were slowly fading into the clear blue sky.

There was not a single cloud in the sky. _This day is going to be perfect, _she thought.

...

Just as they were reaching the train station Kaoru had come to the conclusion that perhaps motorcycles weren't as scary as she had thought they would have been. She had enjoyed the ride thoroughly despite the fact that it hadn't given much time for conversation. It had on the other hand given her time to sit and do nothing, a luxury she did not afford herself often. Her only regret was that she had not brought a jacket. Goosebumps ran along the length of her bare arms. Fortunately, cuddling up to Kenshin made her somewhat warmer.

She was surprised by how easy it was to learn to relax and allow herself to take cues from the subtle shift in Kenshin's body as they rounded corners. She leaned when he did, and halfway through the ride the synchronization simply felt right.

They came to a rolling stop before the ticket booth. Kenshin let her off to buy the tickets while he parked. As soon as her foot touched the pavement Kaoru felt the effects of the short ride. Her legs felt like jello as if she had been out to sea on a boat for a few hours. Kenshin had teased her about it which would have earned him a swift retaliation blow to the head if he hadn't sped away at that moment. Angrily she choked back her pride and hurried on to get the train tickets. They were running a bit behind and she couldn't afford to waste anymore of their time.

…...

The train ride was mostly the simple small talk of high school students. Kaoru really enjoyed rock music like Spitz, and she found out that Kenshin loved watching old corny American Westerns, oddly enough. They argued for a considerable amount of time about whether Father Nakayama Sensei's birthmark on the side of his face more closely resembled China or Russia. Kenshin also confessed that the frogs that escaped from the biology lab which later turned up in the girls locker rooms were indeed all Sano's fault. Kaoru then proceeded to give a lecture of how irresponsible that was and how much extra work it had caused her. She then proceeded to give a detail account of all the duties and stress she as a class representative faced. This proved to be a very lengthy one sided discussion.

"Kaoru-dono, why do you accept the nomination each year if you seem so miserable." Kenshin asked.

"Miserable! You don't know the half of it, but...I can't let it go. I feel like that if I don't do it nothing will ever be done."

"But isn't the student council there so that not one single person can has to be burdened with everything?"

"Are you kidding me! I can't trust any of those nimrods!" She shouted and quickly blushed when she realized how loud that last outburst had been. The nearby passengengers gave the two teens disapproving looks.

Kenshin leaned in closer to Kaoru and continued their conversation at a whisper. "In other words you won't even consider letting anyone else share some of the glory." He prodded.

Her eye twitched at the last word. "I believe the more appropriate word might be workload." Kenshin stared at her with an unspoken sarcasm written in his eyes. "All right I admit that there is some sort of gratification in doing what I do. I make good grades, I've been class representative since junior high. Then there is Kendo club. But it is tiring. It has been so long since I've made a major mistaken I don't know what I would do if I failed at something major. I don't consider it an option anymore." Leaning her head on the window Kaoru watched as the landscape pass her by in a blur. "I know why I'm the one who is never invited to the mall with the other girls, or asked to dance. It isn't that I'm a stuck up princess like everyone thinks I am."

Kenshin wore a look of mild shock at her frankness, but she knew he must have heard the talk in the hallways. "Come on don't give me that look. I have eyes and ears everywhere. I enjoy being in control of my life. In all honesty the reason I push myself,... is the rush. It is like walking on the edge of a knife. I'm scared, excited, nervous and confident all at once. I may look happy and care free but I'm uncertain about everything. And I know that there is only one option, to keep heading forward. If I succeed it is completely through relying on my own strength. If I fall I have only myself to blame."

"I get it." He said simply. "It's easier that way," and said nothing more. Kaoru got the distinct impression there was more to it than that, probably having to do with that chip on his shoulder.

"Let's take a trip sometime Kenshin," her cheery voice breaking the silence that had grown uncomfortable. She felt that it was just one of her jobs to make this day as fun as it could be given the circumstances since he had come all this way at the cost of his weekend. "You could drive me up to the mountain on your motorcycle. My father took my mother and I camping once when I was little. There is a national park just east of here that we decided on." Kaoru gazed longingly at the mountains remembering happier times. "We followed the river to the base of a small waterfall, nothing grandiose but magnificent in its simple beauty."

"Aren't you being a little bit forward there?" He joked. "Wouldn't your guardian object to you going off with a complete stranger?"

She smiled wickedly. "Oh course he would object. My uncle is a stickler for formality and propriety. Were you wondering where I got it from? Anything that belongs to him must be perfect. Didn't you notice how nice and orderly the house looked. He sends me to Catholic school not really out of any faith but on the basis of its excellent academic records."

"You don't really like him, do you?" Kenshin asked.

"Eh, I don't know. He is after all being a saint himself taking in a poor penniless orphan and providing her with the very best education possible. I guess I shouldn't mind it really. He provides for me and his business leaves me with all the free time I could possibly desire. His company keeps him away on business most of the time. I don't despise him, but I have never developed any close family ties with him either. I have all the privacy and independence I desire for right now. It is almost like living alone. Hey don't you live alone Kenshin?"

"Yeah," and that was all he had to say on that matter. The message was clear. Kaoru may be willing to share her past with others, but he didn't want to burden any one else with his troubles.

...

The remainder of the train ride was filed with idle-chit chat. On the way to the cemetery, Kaoru stopped off at a local florist to buy the same mix of flowers the bought every year to leave at her parents' grave site. It was a mix of lilies and forget-me-nots.

The afternoon was wearing on although sunset was still a little farther off. The heavy iron gate, worn and rusted from the brutal elements, creaked with age as Kenshin held it open for Kaoru. Tall black gravestones towered above them as the two teenagers walked side by side. Both girl and boy were lost in memory oblivious to their surroundings and to each other.

Kaoru stopped at the end of one of the aisles before two large gravestones. They were not as elaborate as some of the others in the cemetery, but not cheap either.

"Hello Mom. Hello Dad. It's me again." She spoke as if she really were seeing he parents again in the flesh as normally as if she had just come home from school.

"This is my friend Kenshin from school. Be nice now Dad, he really is a good friend to come out all this way with me. Misao wanted to come too, but she couldn't today. She told me to tell you hello though."

Kaoru knelt down before the twin graves laying her flowers on the cold black stone. The white lilies stood out in stark contrast against the dark backdrop of the gravestone. "School is going well. I've made all A's and was elected Class rep. again. I'm sorry but I've been to busy to start studying for the exit exams. I know Uncle wants me to go to some elite medical school he keeps harping about. I haven't told him that I want to be a teacher, but I figure I'll save that for when he isn't so busy with the company." This of course meant never, she thought ruefully. "Well that's about it. I'll be a fourth year student next year, can you believe it? Time flies doesn't it? Don't get all bleary eyed on me mom. I can't stay a kid forever. You told me once that I'd have to spread my wings sometime and that's what I intend to do. Just watch me fly! But…all of that is for another day I suppose. I love you both."

With the soft light casting a golden glow on her pale skin against the dark background the moment was otherworldly to Kenshin.

"Kenshin," her soft voice acknowledged him for the first time in a while. It was sorrowful yet unwavering, although there was a hint of her tone being too controlled. "do you want to know why I asked you here instead of anyone of the other girls I sort of know?"

"I'm not going to ask for anything. You have the right to decide whether to speak your mind or not." He said comfortingly, not wanting to force her into something she wasn't ready for. The illusion of the always confident Kamiya Kaoru had been done away with today, but in a way that made her seem more human compared to yesterday's impression of the cold calculating Kaoru who stood so far above most people.

"I didn't want to be alone in the world anymore. I'm sorry, I know that your situation is similar to mine in the respect that both your parents are gone. I'm ashamed to say that I desperately...am hoping that someone else might understand." She confessed pausing briefly before finishing. "I'm sorry I presumed anything about your life. I think I'm just now admitting this to myself after wondering all afternoon why I settled on you. I know we are different people and I have no idea what happened to you. It was a stupid childish fantasy I wanted to entertain. I'm sorry for dragging you out here. After I made the invitation I had the phone in my hand about fifty times that week tempted to call you and cancel, but then I knew I'd have to do this alone...but...I can't do it anymore. Not all the time." It was clear that she was overwhelmed with sorrow as she fought back a set of tears. Kenshin put a rough hand on her shoulder and cursed himself for his lack of charisma. If only he had Sano's charm.

"We had very different pasts, and while I can't empathize with you on a lot of things, loneliness is something I am very familiar with. Even being among your friends and the rest of society it is possible to feel so far away from everyone you care about. I understand that very well, that I do."

"Arigatou, Ken-san." Kaoru laid her petite hand over his, still staring straight ahead. The sun was beginning to set staining the clouds red. The two remained there watching the fading light. The scent of rain was written in the wind that swirled about them.

...

Author's Note:

Ahem. So…it's been what? Over…FIVE years now? Sorry about that. I'm not really sure what to tell you. Life got in the way. I got cold feet about sharing my work. Love lost. Love gained. New friends and more distractions than were probably healthy.

Five years ago I was still in college. Well I've graduated now. Got a master's degree. Got a job. And somewhere along the way, I stopped writing. So far, it's the only regret I have of my adult life.

In the past year, I've been struggling to pick it back up again, but it is a hard road when you've taken such a long break.

But enough of that sad stuff. Here's the good news: I'm opening up this WiP again and I can promise you that there will be a healthy chunk of new material to come. I already have five chapters ready to go, most of it was salvaged from an old hard rive and polished some. I'll be spacing out the releases to allow me time to get new material going, but I promise there won't be another wait like last time. ;)

I imagine these boards are a lot quieter than they used to be, but if you do find this story and enjoy it, please leave a review. Your encouragement will help me to move forward.


	3. Chapter 3: Too Quiet and Peaceful

Authors Note: Chapter 3 is up. We finally see some action and blood! Whoohoo!

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the propety of Nabuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these character.

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After the cemetery, Kaoru suggested they stop for dinner. Again she paid when they stopped at an Italian restaurant. The meal was pleasant and the conversation was of a much lighter tone than earlier, but on the way back to the train station, it again turned somber.

"So how did your parents die, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked and instantly regretted the question. That sort of question might lead to similar questions of her own, and Kenshin was not ready to talk about _that _yet, or **ever** for that matter.

The western sky was still more blue than black as they walked hand-in-hand through a local park. Although the walking trail was lit by evenly placed lamp posts along the path, the light itself seemed unable to penetrate the dirt at clouded the glass. Brighter than this artificial light was the moon. It was bright and full tonight, and it alone had any effect on the encroaching darkness.

Kaoru did not answer for a minute or two. She lifted her face to the full moon and looked at with a small sad smile.

"It was a car accident. They were coming back from a weekend getaway, just the two of them, when they swerved off the road. The police didn't really have an answer for it. They never drank. There was no sign of a second vehicle that might have been involved. It was a dark night with out a moon. Visibility was low so maybe they swerved to avoid an animal. Who knows."

"I'm sorry," he said simply.

"Well…it was a long time ago, you know," Kaoru answered quietly. "And it wasn't a night like tonight. Aaaah, I love it out here," she said with a stretch. "It's so quiet and peaceful around here, unlike Tokyo. What about you? How did you lose your parents?"

Kenshin looked away embarrassed. He had feared that she would expect equal frankness, but he wasn't ready for that. "Oro…I don't really like to -"

A woman's scream stopped him dead. Instinctively, Kenshin blood began to boil. "Stay here," he ordered and set off at a sprint for the source.

Clouds moved in, covering the moonlight. When Kenshin arrived at the scene he could barely discern what was going on. A small figure was on the ground, the woman he assumed, kicking and writhing beneath a large misshapen body. Kenshin ran at them and threw his weight into a tackle, knocking her assailant from her. He was surprised to find himself grappling with a large furred body. It had powerful jaws that twisted and snapped at the air above his head while it fought for a better angle. Kenshin grappled with the beast inelegantly, but he was loosing strength rapidly. Kenshin had a small frame and was no brawler like Sanouske.

Kenshin also had no idea where the woman was, but he could hear her crying nearby. "Run!" He shouted. He needed her to get help, but he was answered only by her incessant sobbing.

When Kenshin thought his arms would finally give out, a dark shadow came out of nowhere and something smashed into the beast's skull with a loud crack. Disoriented and hurt, the animal rolled off Kenshin and crawled away, clawing at its head. It whimpered and sounded almost doglike for a moment. Kenshin looked up and found Kaoru standing over him with broken branch in her hand. Her club had broken in two when her swing connected. Another time, Kenshin would have made at joke about how the force behind that stroke should be positively inhuman for a girl her size. Instead, he silently rolled to his feat and took what remained of her club from her shaking hands.

"What the hell is it, Kenshin?"

"Don't know, some sort of dog or wolf I think," it was too big to be a dog, "but I need you to go and get help. Don't run. It may come after you if you run. " He whispered quietly.

"But what about you and that poor woman."

"Kaoru, just go. I don't think she's in any shape to walk anyway. **Go. Now. **He ordered, getting angry. He wasn't necessarily angry at Kaoru, but the situation frustrated him. He appreciated her help, but until she was safely away, he wouldn't be seeing this fight straight. His gut was telling him that something felt horribly wrong about all of this.

The wolf by this time had recovered and was advancing on Kaoru and Kenshin, slowly. The moon was still hidden behind the thick cloud cover, and the dim lamplight revealed little. Judging from the silhouette the wolf was as large as a Great Dane. Kaoru must have stepped on a twig in her retreat because something crunched underfoot and the sound launched the beast into action.

It lept at the pair. Kenshin sidestepped, placing himself directly in the wolf's path in order to shield Kaoru. He brought his free arm up to protect his face. Their bodies connected, and Kenshin tumbled backwards onto his back under the beast's weight. Pain lanced through his arm as the beast's powerful jaws found his forearm and sunk its teeth into human muscle.

Kenhin screamed.

It shook its head viciously in an effort to tear the flesh from the bone. The pain was causing Kenshin's vision to blur. With his last reserves of strength Kenshin took the broken shaft of Kaoru's primitive club and swung at the beasts head. The sharp end of the club connected and buried itself in the wolf's right eye. The beast released Kenshin's arm as it howled in feral pain.

Kenshin managed to roll out from beneath it and crawl a short distance away. Kaoru was soon at his side, having obviously decided not to heed his instructions. She kept reaching for his arm and shouting something while Kenshin batted her away. Her words weren't registering in Kenshin's brain right now as all his focus was elsewhere.

The beast did not seem to be mortally wounded. It roared and clawed at the shaft sticking from its eye, but it was clear that it was beginning to recover. Its large head whipped back and forth searching for Kenshin with its one good eye.

Kenshin struggled to his feet. He was shaking, he realized, from either fear and blood-loss. Adrenaline surged in his veins, holding shock at bay.

That was when the moon finally came out and bathed the scene in an eerie pale light. The creature was definitely more wolf than dog, but larger than any breed Kenshin had ever seen in textbooks. Height-wise it was past Kenshin's hip when it stood on all fours, and it would have been a hand taller that the red-head if it raised up onto two legs. Its coat was long and gray, and it was splattered with muddy stains of blood. The injured eye was a mess. The wolf had managed to paw the stick out of the wound and although it was tightly shut, the eye leaked fluid and blood profusely. Kenshin throat and stomach tighten in revulsion, but the adrenaline aided him there too and kept him composed.

For the first victim, however, the sight of it was too much. She screamed in unrestrained terror, and that drew the beast's attention. With a hungry growl it charged and fell on her savagely. There was nothing Kenshin could do for her. He and Kaoru on the other hand might only have this one chance to get away.

He reached for her hand with his. "We have to run!"

She fought him a little as he began to pull her away. "But Kenshin…" She argued, eyes shinning with tears.

"I know, Kaoru," he said, tuning out her compassion. There was nothing he could say. Thankfully though, she listened to him and followed at a jog, leaving the other woman to a grisly fate.

At some point he had to let her go, but she kept pace beside him while he cradled his injured arm. The blood on his clothes smelled strongly and ran down his pantleg, staining his jeans. Fortunately, blood had stopped flowing from the wound itself and Kenshin was feeling less like he was going to faint. The pain though was something else. Kenshin had not experienced its equal.

At the one of the gated exits to the park they met an armed police officer who happened to be there on a routine patrol. A few short sentences was all the testimony he seemed to need before placing a call for back-up from his cell-phone. Three more officers arrived within minutes and disappeared into the park at a run.

Kaoru watched them go with worried eyes. "I hope they make it in time to help that poor woman…." She said, but her voice was heavy with doubt as it tapered off. The beast could move so quickly when it got going.

"I'm sure she will be fine ma'am." The officer assured her politely, but Kenshin saw him roll his eyes beneath the brim of his hat.

Kenshin did not like this man and said as much with an angry frown whenever the officer looked his way. The officer's entire body language broadcasted only disinterest as they were giving their testimony. He shifted his weight from side-to-side and kept glancing to his right at the park. This one wanted to be where the action was. A glory hound. The only thing he had seemed to care about after reporting that the attack was their contact information; "…in the event we need to verify any of the information you've given tonight." He hadn't even suggested calling an ambulance for Kenshin.

The officer had gone on to imply that things were probably not what they appeared. "Things always look different in the day" he said clearly doubting their "wolf" claim."

After they heard shots fired from within the interior of the park. He released Kenshin and Kaoru dismissively, and took off down the path without even offering to see them safely to the train station.

Kenshin fought Kaoru's fussiness the entire way back. She was fixated on tending to his injury, but Kenshin had a mind only for seeing them out of the area as quickly as possible. Why couldn't she see that he just wanted to protect her?

When he did finally allow her a look at his wounds as they waited for the train on the above ground platform, he was met with stubborn silence while she worked on his arm.

He slipped out of his ruined leather jacket with a couple grunts of pain through clenched teeth. He had to have Kaoru's help in picking out the scraps of leather that had fallen into the wound. She then cleaned the injury with a bottle of water she had purchased at the station.

"I'm surprised that it was so shallow," she finally observed while she tied the indigo ribbon she had taken from her hair around his forearm. There was no hint of resentment or anger in her voice. Apparently their feud was already over and forgotten which made Kenshin happy. Kaoru had a fiery temper, but she was forgiving at least.

"I am too," Kenshin admitted. A small dark stain was slowly spreading across the blue fabric, but all in-all the bleeding was minimal. His arm still hurt like hell, but it felt worse than it looked. There were clear puncture marks that probably would have to be stitched up, but none of the tearing or muscle damange he thought he had remembered. "You probably won't be getting this ribbon back," he teased.

"I better be! That's my favorite indigo ribbon, Kenshin. I'm only _lending _it to you. So you better take care of it. You understand?" The words may have been meant in jest, but Kaoru's serious, sad eyes were saying something else. _Take car_e _of yourself. _They both could have lost their lives tonight.

"Hai," he affirmed.

"Hey, what's this?" She asked, an ran a finger down a the thin scar on his left check. As she did, the old wound tingled. Kenshin quickly grabbed her hand and pulled it away from his face.

"It's nothing." He said keeping her hand in his lap. "It's just an old injury from childhood." She sat down besides him.

"What happened? It's pretty faint now, but that looked like it was pretty wicked."

"Nothing. I got cut by some glass when I was younger." Which wasn't a lie at all. He just didn't feel like explaining that glass meant a shattered beer bottle. "I was careless and doing something I shouldn't have been."

"Ah, I see. I can't believe I never noticed it until now." She said thoughtfully but then her lips twisted in to a wide grin. "You need a hair cut, Kenshin."

He laughed and threw his head to the side tossing his heavy red bangs away from his yes. "You're probably right, Kaoru."

The train back to Tokyo came whistling around a bend in the track and pulled into the station. Kaoru dozed on his shoulder, snuggled up to his injured arm. When she moved, her body jostled the wound. It hurt. A lot. But despite the pain, Kenshin felt comforted by her presence. It was almost…peaceful.

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Author's Note: If you enjoyed this chapter please leave a review.


	4. Chapter 4: When Blood Lingers

Author's Note: Chapter 4 is polished and edited. This is again some of the older material.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

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Kenshin woke up that morning but it was a struggle.

He laid a hand across his eyes , thumb and middle finger resting on his temples, and counted the tempo of the throbbing in his skull. He tried shutting out the noise by closing his eyes; this plan ended in failure.

Bare-chested, he just lay there either half-asleep or staring up at the white ceiling through the slits between his fingers. His hand shielded his eyes from the harsh sun that poured into his room at this hour in the afternoon. The brightness was too much to take. Light flooded the room, setting the white walls of his studio aglow. He willed his muscles to move as he sat up; tossing the sheets that he had become entangled in during a night of fitful sleep. Kenshin groaned from the pain in every muscle. It felt like he had just run a 10k marathon…while carrying Sano on his back.

With a yawn he reached for where a small digital clock rested on his night stand. That's when Kenshin's soft violet eyes were drawn to the deep blue ribbon tied delicately around his arm. Memory surged in his mind. _It wasn't a dream_. Kenshin's whole body shook, forced to recollection by a dark black stain on Kaoru's ribbon.

And then, with a blink of surprise, Kenshin realized that he felt nothing at all from the injury. He wiggled the fingers of his left hand as if unsure what to expect. The memory of the searing pain as the beast had torn into his flesh was still fresh in his mind. Curiosity moved his hand as his calloused fingers deftly undid the tight knot Kaoru had tied.

He probably should have taken care of this last night, but he had been so tired and fevered that he had nearly collapsed at his doorway. It was fortunate that he had made it too his bed at all. With his luck he would probably catch an infection because of it. Kenshin was sure that animal had been some sort of rabid dog although he could not identify the breed. How else would one explain it?

The blue ribbon slipped through his fingers fluttering to the ground like a dead leaf. For a moment Kenshin sat unblinking as he ran a finger across smooth unbroken skin not knowing what to think. A glance at the bloody ribbon which lay abandoned on the floor assured him again that the attack had been no dream. His mind replayed the memory of the canine leaping towards him as he had raised his arm in a feeble defense. The pain had been real enough then. The blood had been real, and he was certain he could still smell it on his clothes and skin.

_So why am I unharmed, _he mused, bewildered as he stumbled to the bathroom longing to rid himself of the stench of blood and sweat that still lingered about him.

For what seemed like an eternity Kenshin stood beneath the shower head letting the scalding hot water pound him as he tried in vain to scrub the blood off his body. Everything he tired felt like it didn't work. It was still there encrusted under his fingernails or matted in his hair. The smell was driving him to the point of madness.

He was finally driven from this hopeless battle after exhausting the supply of hot water. The cold water chilled him to the marrow, forcing him to at last abandon this labor.

Kenshin dried himself and dressed, breathing a sigh of relief. He finally felt clean again in a fresh pair of jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt. His long red hair hung loose around his shoulders, dripping water onto the white carpets of his apartment.

His foot brushed some article of clothing that felt slightly damp. Glancing down he jumped back from the shirt that he had worn last night, the red fabric splattered with dark stains. Kenshin's nose twitched recalling the smell and grimy feeling of the blood.

With a look of disgust he collected the shirt and the rest of yesterday's clothing into a garbage bag and pulled the draw strings tightly. Kenshin left it all outside with the rest of his garbage.

Ordinarily he did not mind doing domestic things like laundry and cooking as he had always done so even before he began living on his own. Doing the simply things like chores left him with little time to brood, and he needed that from time to time although not as often these days. But this was one time, Kenshin just couldn't deal with it. He didn't want to touch those clothes. This wasn't just dirt. It sounded weird, but the blood was different.

Finally all that remained was a dull lingering smell that was probably the result of his psyche more than anything else.

His headache was growing, however. Kenshin flopped down onto the couch wishing he had the foresight to grab the cordless phone before collapsing again. School would be out soon. Kenshin needed to call Sano to find out what he had missed. Of course this was all based on the assumption that Sano had even bothered going to school at all. Knowing his friend, the spiky haired boy had likely used Kenshin''s absenteeism as an excuse to skip classes himself.

With one eye open he glanced at the kitchen counter where the phone and a small folded note rested. He could always call **her **he supposed. At some point during these thoughts, Kenshin lapsed into sleep.

...

Saitou lounged in his desk chair at his office. He had been in a particularly bad mood all morning because of a specific incident last night which deprived him of both some sorely needed sleep and an evening alone with his wife. The latter might be an even greater problem than the one in front of him. Tokio was not what you would call a temperate woman. This morning she had made it known how shamefully he had been neglecting her lately. He knew that the woman was going to make him pay later. Saitou allowed himself a rare grin. His golden eyes were hungry, but that would all come later.

Papers and dark green folders were scattered and stacked unceremoniously around the office in no apparent order. One folder however stood out from the mess and was laid open before the police chief as he skimmed through the contents at his leisure.

Lowering the cigarette from his lips, he exhaled slowly. The dark smoke swirled around the picture of a younger man, young enough to still be in high school. The boy wore a rather serious expression and looked to be a little on the shorter, smaller side. He was far from looking like the average boy off the streets. With vibrant red hair like that, he would stand out anywhere.

"A bit of a pretty boy isn't he?" The old wolf commented. "This file seems a bit thick for a high school boy."

"He has been in the system before, for a juvenile offense. The report is attached to the back of his records, sir." A young lieutenant responded, appearing just as bleary eyed.

"And here I thought they closed the book on these files once you turned seventeen. Good work. Any relatives?"

"None sir. You'll see why in that last report. They boy is a ward of the St. Judith Catholic Dioceses. Apparently his sponsor has a lot of clout with the Academy he attends since it is supported by the church. I believe Father Seijuro Hiko is the name.

Saitou frowned hearing the name Seijuro Hiko, an admission he would not normally have made if it weren't for his immense hatred for that man.

"Are you familiar with the man, sir," the young officer questioned.

Saitou merely shrugged nonchalantly. "Casually." He would not let the mention of that man keep him from enjoying his cigarette.

As the lieutenant continued giving his report of a number of unimportant details, Saitou's amber eyes skimmed the remaining pages of the printed report. The last few pages he found to be especially interesting reading.

Saitou threw his head back and laughed in a cruel tone that sounded closer to a growl. "So this isn't the first time our prey here has had the taste of blood." Saitou looked down again at the photo, at the face of the young, unfortunate boy and marked the image in his mind.

Quite suddenly he brought the butt of his cigarette down on the photo, relishing the smell of burning paper and chemicals that filled his senses. "We're coming for you Kenshin," Saitou warned, laughing in the darkness.

...

Kenshin woke with a start, breathing heavily. He had the disconcerting feeling that he was being watched. His violet eyes scanned the apartment, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary and the deadbolt on the front door was still locked.

"Dammit, get a grip already." He cursed laying back down hoping to stop the throbbing in his skull. He drank with Sano often enough, but this was the mother of all hangovers. Every noise and movement seemed to send daggers of pain shooting through his brain.

Speaking of noise, no sooner had he closed his eyelids again, was Kenshin made aware of a soft shuffling that seemed to be coming from the other side of his doorway. Whoever it was they had made no move to knock, which he found more than a little strange. He waited to see if they would announce themselves, but no such gesture was made. Neither did they go away.

"No rest for the weary, that there is not," Kenshin complained as he pushed himself up from the couch.

In a few steps and the time it took to lift the latch on the door Kenshin found himself standing in front of a rather befuddled Kaoru who had been caught in the action of knocking. Kenshin was amused by her wide-eye expression.

"I am sorry to keep you waiting here Kaoru-dono. I was taking a nap and must not have heard you knock," he said wondering why she had just been standing there outside his door for the last five minutes.

...

The raven haired girl had been practically pacing outside his door just moments earlier, deliberating over what she should do next. True she had legitimate business for being here, but she didn't want to disturb him. He might have company. With that thought she blushed. _No not that kind of company, _she yelled at herself mentally.

Not for the first time today she thought about just turning around, but then she would worry about him for the rest of the day. When Kenshin had not shown up for school today she panicked. He looked so pale and sick last night when he dropped her, and there had been so much blood the other night. It had all been her fault for dragging him with her on Sunday to see her parents. She had to know that he was alright.

Fear and guilt out-weighed embarrassment and she raised a hand to rap softly on the door, but she got caught in the middle of the action as the door creaked open of its own accord. Startled, she jumped and found Kenshin in front of her, grinning like he knew something he should not. Kaoru had the distinct impression she was being made fun of, but she couldn't prove it seeing as Kenshin was hiding behind that good natured smile of his. She stared at him uncertainly, still making up her mind whether to either throttle him or be glad that he seemed to be in good health.

In the middle of her examination she caught herself staring at him longer than was appropriate. It was his hair that drew her attention. Hanging loosely around his shoulder, his crimson hair looked damp from an earlier shower that he must have taken. He looked…well he looked rather pretty. She flushed in embarrassment at making that observation. With a second glance, she couldn't help but wish her hair weren't so thick and coarse.

"Sumimasen," she bowed apologetically unable to look him in the eye anymore. _Oh good Lord, I'm jealous of him. How pathetic can I get, _she thought in embarrassment and self loathing. "I did not mean to wake you; however, I brought your work since you didn't come to school today. I just wanted...after last night...I was worried," she stammered.

"Arigatou Kaoru-dono," he responded without hesitation. "You're more than welcome to come in for minute. I don't have much, but I could make us some coffee You look like you need a cup or two." He added with honest cordiality.

It was true. She must look a wreck. Her uniform was not as cleanly pressed as normal, and Kaoru's hair looked like she had run the entire way here from school - which she had.

"So it looks like the Kanji quiz was pretty rough I take it? I'm glad I didn't go to school today," He joked while holding the door for a relieved Kaoru.

"Mou, Kenshin! Your humor is not appreciated. I was really worried."

Kenshin shut the door behind her and disappeared into the bathroom searching for something to tie his hair back with.

Kaoru in the meantime was wandering the small rectangular one room apartment after slipping off her shoes and depositing her bag by the door as was customary.

A small aisle between the couch and foot of the bed was all that separated his living and sleeping quarters. The far side of the wall was the kitchen area, bathroom, and closet. It was small and quiet but at least he didn't have to share it with anyone.

"I am sorry for the mess Kaoru-dono," came his response after catching in the middle of her examination.

Startled Kaoru turned to face him. "Oh no. It is very nice, aside from the bed," which was still unmade, "it's practically spotless. It is kind of like my uncle's place," she said.

"How did you find my address?" He asked.

"Sagara,-san, " was her simple and terse response followed by silence. Kaoru's eyes grew distant and irritated. That lazy bum annoyed her to no end sometimes.

...

Kenshin decided against questioning further. From her tone of voice and that hard look in her eyes they must have fought. One could only assume Sanousuke had been his normal charming self. Kenshin went to the kitchen and began setting the coffee maker up.

"I saw the story on the news this morning," Kaoru said, following him into the kitchen. "Her name was Ayame Yamakawa." Kenshin really would have preferred if she had not told him the name. "The body was reportedly found at the south end of the park hidden back in the woods."

"But we were not on the north side." Kenshin interrupted a little shocked by the discrepancy. Unless there were multiple victims which he hoped hadn't been the case.

"I know, but that was what the reporters said and they had a picture. They are saying it was an animal attack probably the result of larger dog like a pit bull or masfitt. The dog could have been sick, or it could have been abused possibly used for prize fighting. It would be the first time one of those pets escaped and ended up hurting someone." Kaoru said with a clearly apparent lack of conviction in her own summation.

"I guess that makes sense, but you sound doubtful."

"Well, yes I am," she said after a pause. "Why was the body found in a location other than where we remember it? Someone had to move it and clean up the mess. I just have this feeling that something is wrong about this whole situation. I know what we saw Kenshin, and I have never seen an ordinary dog with that much hate and anger in its eyes. It was almost human. " Her eyes said that she was far away right now, thinking back to last night's events.

Kenshin stood silent glancing out the kitchen window at the bustling city streets below. He did not have any answers for her. Kaoru wanted to talk about last night when all he wanted to do was bury the memory and guilt and forget. He had left that woman to die last night. _How could he have done that?_

"Oh! And before I forget, let me check your arm." Kaoru said and her words snapped Kenshin back to attention as she took a few steps towards him.

"No it's okay. I already tended to it this morning like you told me to."

"Ha, I knew it!" She gloated. "I actually told you to tend to it as soon as you got home, Kenshin. Who knows what kind of infection has set in by now. Now let me see your arm." She said sternly her hands on her hips. "With the fever you were running last night I am not surprised you forgot."

"No really it's fine. I am fine." He said repeatedly. Kenshin really didn't want Kaoru seeing what he had no explanation for.

"Mou, baka. I bet you didn't even take yourself to the doctor's office."

"I took some Tylenol," he pleaded in defense hopelessly.

As fast as lightning Kaoru's hand flashed forward, her delicate fingers tugging his shirt sleeve up. In a feeble ill-thought-out defense Kenshin put a hand up and pushed her away gently, but what happened was far from what he expected.

Kaoru tumbled backwards with such force that her deep sapphire blue eyes did not register what had happened until she hit the wall behind her. Her raven black hair spilled forward like water over her shoulders and onto the floor as she sunk to the carpet. Kaoru drew in a ragged breath forcing air back into her lungs.

Kenshin stared open mouthed in shock glancing at his hand and then back to Kaoru's crumpled form. He didn't understand what he had done He just tapped her. And what's worse...he had hit a woman.

Shock quickly turned to concern in his violet eyes as he rushed to Kaoru's side to help her to her feet, however, the anger he felt towards himself did not fade. "Gomennasai Kaoru-dono...I did not mean to..."

Kaoru flinched at his touch.

"Gomen,...I did not think...gomen," he apologized repeatedly, deeply ashamed for shoving her.

"It's okay Kenshin." Kaoru finally said allowing Kenshin to help her to a chair still in a daze at the force with which she had been hit. "The fault is mine. You're not a child needing to be babied. I've been too pushy."

"Don't do that." He snapped. Kenshin hadn't meant to direct his anger at Kaoru, but she had brought back unpleasant memories.

"What?"

"Don't apologize needlessly. Not when it isn't your fault. It's mine. I'm the jerk." He said remember another dark haired woman who had that same bad habit and the pain it had caused her.

"Fine," she agreed "but you let me look at that arm."

Kenshin responded nodding weakly as he rolled back his sleeve up to his elbow. How did one show her something that was not there. _This is the only way she'll believe me_, he told himself.

Her eyes scanned the smooth unbroken skin of his arm, mystified. A puzzled expression crossed her face. "Not funny Kenshin. Show me your other arm, this is serious"

"It's the same Kaoru. Look." He commanded holding out both arms for comparison.

"Kenshin...I don't understand.

"That makes two of us."

"It happened right?" She looked to him with a small glimmer of hope.

"I thought so. We both remember it. What are the odds of us having the same dream, or more appropriately the same nightmare? And then there is the news report."

"There was so much blood." She whispered near inaudibly. Her hands dropped to her sides.

"I know. I spent the greater part of the morning washing it off."

Kaoru's eyes were downcast as she sat motionless in stony silence. "This just isn't logical," she finally said.

"Let me get you that coffee I promised you."

"No, it's okay. I have to be going anyway. My uncle will give me an hour long lecture about responsibility if I am late for dinner, and I would rather not have him find out where I have been."

The two said goodbye and parted at the door. Kenshin closed the door behind him and sat down to skim through the notes Kaoru had brought him. Two cups sat on the kitchen counter empty and untouched.

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Translation Notes:

Sumimasen - excuse me  
Gomen- sorry  
Gomenasai- polite form of sorry  
Mou! - An expression Kaoru uses in the manga indicating frusturation or peevishness, something like "that's it" or "I've had enough" (Feel free to correct me on this)  
Baka - idiot

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you did, please leave a review. I also want to thank reviewers Skenshigumi, Pinay Tiger, LimeGrass, and Innoucent Battousai for their thoughts and critiques.

Up next - Chapter 5: An Assistant Master's Challenge


	5. Chapter 5: Restless Slumber

Author's Note: I really struggled during the revision of this chapter, but I think I'm at least half-way pleased with it now. This was a slower paced chapter developing the relationship between Kaoru and Kenshin and his growing supernatural abilities. And oh good lord, I had to cut so much dead weight from it. The shower scene was three times longer. The were a couple more shopping scenes, and an ice cream cart. I'm also sick as a dog right now, so I'm not vouching for the grammar.

I'll make up for lack of action this time around in the next chapter. You'll see. *grins*

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

* * *

The night smelled of rain. The dank musky smell filled his acute senses washing over him like a shroud. Each sound and scent tickled his senses drove him nearly to distraction. But as enticing the allure of the night was, he had purpose which would not so easily be forgotten and a desire that needed to be sated. He was a hunter after all.

The air was cold and it burned his lungs even as it chilled him. The pain did not bother him. He was not one of these pathetic weak willed creatures that hid from the night and sought warmth and shelter. Those were the ones he hunted. Their lives belonged to him should he at any time desire to spill their blood.

The thought of blood stirred a low growl of pleasure deep within his throat.

_Soon _

He heard the faint breathing of his prey, ragged and irregular.

_Close...so close  
_

He could hear his own steady heartbeat echoed by the quick erratic cadence of his prey.

_Soon_

A thunderous crash erupted from the bramble as his prey leapt from hiding. The frightened beast had finally caught his scent, but too little and too late for the stupid creature. Kenshin raised his muzzle in the air letting lose a feral triumphant howl. The chase began; his blood boiled.

Taunt muscles sprung into action as he raced after his prey. The stag's silver pelt flashed in the moonlight as he pursued. His opponent was young and strong. The stag was driven by a powerful desire to survive. It made the race more challenging.

Branches reached out and grabbed at the stag's hide; however, the stag tore through them with ease snapping at its invisible foe. All the while _Kenshin _pushed on, faster and faster. Kenshin's heart beat in time to the rhythm at which he heard his paws beat against the ground as he ran.

The beast cut left jumping gracefully over a fallen log, but it was growing evident that the stag tired. Each desperate breath brought death closer.

The hunter ran along side its prey now playfully snapping at its heels in delight. He drank in the stark terror that filled the air, but that alone would not be enough. He thirsted to wet his fangs with the hot blood that coursed through this creature's veins and wanted only to tear into that perfect silver pelt, staining it red in the moonlight.

The stag stumbled, going down, never to stand up again.

The hunter was ready, crouching low he leapt for the stag's throat and the weak vulnerable flesh there. For a brief moment he saw his reflection in those black eyes which were wild with fear, eyes that would soon be glazed over in death. The amber eyes that stared back at him in that reflection seemed frightening to Kenshin, but it was only a passing moment, forgotten in the moment that his fangs met soft flesh. The stag's precious lifeblood flowed freely onto the ground. The taste was both bitter and sweet as he tore at the tender meat. He howled in victory and at the sheer joy of living.

...

Kenshin awoke screaming in abhorrence and partially...triumph. He bolted upright drenched in sweat. His hair clung to his shoulders and his breathing was heavy and forced. He snatched at air hungrily trying to taste anything on the stale indoor air other than the scent of blood. The rhythmic beating of his heart pounded in his ears like a hammer against a smith's anvil.

The red head sunk back onto his bed, his body utterly exhausted. A trembling hand covered his eyes. He didn't want to see those images anymore, but even in the darkness their was something watching him. Memories of the dream itself were quickly fading. He grasped at those remnants trying to reconstruct the nightmare that repeatedly plagued him, but only the sensations remained soon enough.

Most nights it was the same lately. He would wake to find himself barely able to support his own weight. Lying there shaking, unable to recall a single definite detail, he went over what he could recall again. Rage, hunger, and the thick smell of blood. His dreams had not been this bad for a long time, not since those many years before. He could always remember _those_ dreams, but this seemed different somehow. If they were related there would have been some sort of trigger or at least that's what his psychiatrist had explained to him.

The only thing that was for certain was that all of this had started after he and Kaoru had been attacked. That was three weeks ago but he hardly ever thought about the attack itself anymore. So was she the trigger? And if she was...would it be better if he just walked away? There were certain memories that he did not want to get close to.

"Angles save me. What is happening to me?" He whispered slipping back into a shallow restless slumber.

...

The firelight cast shadows on the walls. The shadows moved like wet ink on a paper. It told a story for those who bothered to look. The pine walls and rafters were darkened by the generations of smoke and soot from the incense and fires of the temple though it did nothing to mar the tranquility of this sacred place.

Yet not everyone could find comfort in this particular mediation room. The small room had a feeling of age that was oppressive and made the walls seem closer than they were. The air itself was constricting and so heavily filled with incense that you couldn't discern between the individual scents.

However all of this did not seem to bother the sole person permitted in this part of the temple. One person knelt before those dancing flames, as she did so every night. The fire that roared before her crackled with power.

Most would describe her as no older than any ordinary high school girl, but there was a maturity behind those dark eyes that was unique. It was the result of the years of training and discipline the young miko had underwent. Her diligence to her calling made her one of the youngest in her family's history to inherit the Yukishiro title of priestess. This strict lifestyle had also made her more than a little estranged from her peers, not that Tomoe longed for the companionship of those other trivial girls in her class. Like most things important to her classmates, friendship was not a major part of her life.

The young miko sat so still that one might have thought her asleep. Only her cherry lips moved as she whispering sutras to the fire. The energy of the earth beneath her and the flames of the roaring blaze guided her in her spiritual search. Tomoe was one of the few in her family who were born with the gift of true sight and therefore very precious to the main branch of the family.

Her visions did not work like most thought they did; she could not see the future. No one had _that_ kind of power. Nature had a balance and when something threatened that balance there were warning signs. It was akin to how animals sensed that a storm was coming before the first thundercloud could be seen on the horizon. A gifted priestess could feel these disturbances like a spider could feel a shift in her web through an innate sensitivity to life's web.

True visions were a rarity and most were choppy at best. They provided only clues and no more. A well trained priestess could trust her instincts and let herself be guided by those clues that to the source of chaos within the delicately balanced pattern of nature. That was how the Yukishiro family did battle with the demons of this world.

What was most troubling was that lately her readings showed that chaos grew with each passing day. Youkai, vile creatures that could in some forms pass among humans in the light. She had sworn that she would hunt them down. She devoted her life to this course because of her ancestral duty and for revenge. She would not die until she avenged him, Kiyosato, her fiance.

With that last thought the fire lept up in an angry blaze that swelled upwards as if in answer to her grief, but then other emotions were channeled through her in that moment. Danger, warning, fear, sorrow, hatred all pressed down on her till she feared she might be crushed by the force of that malice. Her hands were pressed flat against the smooth floorboards. The priestess's sorrowful brown eyes were locked onto the flames as the silhouette of a wolf rose from the pyre, its fangs hungering for her blood.

Tomoe screamed as the image which was constructed of smoke, air, and fear passed through her. The light in the room dimmed as the fire died down. The young priestess crawled to the door reaching for the moonlight only to pass out on the threshold and be engulfed by darkness.

...

The night passed without incident and morning came as it should. Kenshin stirred when the alarm clock went off, feeling only slightly more refreshed, but not by any great margin. Like most morning these days, his dreams were far beyond the reach of remembrance. He could only go on and not worry about it.

His alarm clock continued to blare loudly, the repetitive beeping rang in his ears. He struggled to roll out of bed after turning off the annoying yet necessary device. He had been asked to meet Kaoru in town today to go shopping with her. He still wasn't entirely clear whether this was some sort of a date or just a ploy to get him to carry her bags. Kenshin was finding it difficult to talk about their friendship. He was beginning to really like Kaoru, but he wasn't sure she felt that way about him or if she was still looking for just a friend that she could relate to. They hadn't done anything more than hold hands in the last few weeks.

Kenshin stripped off the boxers he had worn to bed. He hoped into the shower eager to wash the sweat and grim from his body even before the water had enough time to warm up. He winced under the assault of cold water. Gradually the water warmed ever so gently relaxing his tense muscles. He didn't even bother to turn the temperature down until it had grown too hot to handle. The last remnants of his dreams were being completely washed away.

Kenshin grabbed the bar of soap that rested on a little shelf built into the shower wall and scrubbed at his skin fiercely until he could be sure he was clean of that phantom blood. His hair received similar attention, but his hand pulled away,suddenly feeling pain. He drew his hair aside tracing a tender red line that wrapped around his neck underneath the chain of the silver pendent he apparently had accidentally worn to bed last night. That had been stupid of him. The chain must have rubbed the skin raw as he had tossed and turned last night.

After drying off and brushing through his hair, he dressed quickly. Snatching up his keys and wallet by a table near the door he hurried out the door and down the stairs.

...

After the incident at his apartment, Kaoru had avoided him for little while, but three weeks later she called him and asked if he would go shopping with her that weekend. Kenshin agreed to met her by the riverside, three blocks from the main shopping district. She was there waiting for him by the time Kenshin arrived.

He could pick her out immediately from the throng of people out and about on that beautiful day. She wore a blue sundress that matched her eyes and had her hair tied back in a dark blue ribbon. She looked nice. Kenshin smiled. Maybe this was an official date after all.

Kaoru stood at the riverside watching the ducks. She occasionally looked up every now and then paced either the right or left impatiently. Her waist length raven hair trailed behind her as she moved against the wind. Kenshin sighed. He was only about five minutes.

As he walked towards her she looked up at the right moment.

"Ohaiyo Kenshin!"

"Ohaiyo."

"I was worried you were going to sleep in."

"Gomenasai. I have not been sleeping well lately; however, you should have a little more faith in people that you should."

"Oh? Why should I?" She said looking up at him narrowly through those dark lashes of hers. "After all I don't really know you that well, and if your school attendance record stands for anything your lucky I even bothered to ask you to be my bag boy." She winked in good humor, but now Kenshin was back to square one again. _Was this a date or not?_

"That hurts, Kaoru."

"Ah toughen up." She chided and playfully punched him in the arm with more force than she probably realized that she possessed.

"Ow!"

"You cannot tell me that hurt."

"Alright then I won't tell you," Kenshin said.

"Wait a minute..."

"Where to Kaoru-dono? I await your orders." He said cutting her off, which he judged from twitching of her eyebrow only succeeded in annoying her further.

"We'll start with shoes, and then the rest. Come Kenshin let me show you around my hunting ground." Kaoru smiled wickedly.

...

The first hour was tolerable; the second was even bearable. But, near the end of the third, Kenshin was ready to commit himself to an asylum. Nothing could be worse waste of time than shopping in his opinion. If he needed a shirt he walked into a store and bought a shirt. For Kaoru this was not the case.

Kenshin could only sigh, feeling the ever increasing weight of the bag he held in his left hand.

"What was that Kenshin?" She asked.

"It was nothing."

She shrugged and turned back to the window showcase admiring a silver bracelet .

"Ooh, look at that one," said an unfamiliar female voice.

Kenshin's ears perked overhearing some nearby conversation.

"Which one?" The girl's companion said, also a female.

"The one with the red hair."

Kenshin looked around sheepishly to see who was talking about him, however, he saw no one close by who could be the source. The two high pitched voices were most certainly not coming from the two gentlemen in business suits that were walking towards him.

"He is a little too feminine for my tastes. Kita could snap in half."

"Ba, you always go for bad boy types Kimiko."

"Well at least you don't see me fawning over some sissy, besides it looks like your mark is already taken."

"Ah me, why is that always my luck. She isn't even very pretty."

Kaoru at this moment sneezed, muttering something about superstitions and curses.

A large truck came to a sudden stop on worn brakes that emitted a high pitched squeel. Kenshin flinched at the noise. After the truck pulled away, Kenshin noticed two girls on the other side of the street who were watching him. One girl giggled and said something to her friend. Kenshin couldn't hear their conversation anymore. It was the most peculiar thing.

"Kenshin stop day dreaming!" Kaoru called.

"Gomen, Kaoru-dono."

"It's okay," she said her tone softening. "I should be thanking you for escorting me around today. Why don't we go find something to eat as an early dinner? My treat."

"If you would like. We could always split the bill, Kaoru-dono." He added. This definitely wasn't a date if she was trying to pay for for everything again.

"No! My mind is made up Kenshin." Her eyes narrowed in warning. "I know a great place for a beef pot, and that is what I have decided.

"Did I hear someone say a beef pot." said a deep voice that was familiar to Kenshin and unfortunately Kaoru as well.

Kenshin turned a quarter to the left, but choked on the greeting he was about to deliver. Sanousuke was not alone.

The woman that stood besides the taller boy was beautiful beyond words, and judging from the haughty arrogance in her dark eyes, she was aware of it. Her skin was pale and smooth, like polished porcelain, making her red lips and dark black hair all the more striking. Kenshin sensed Kaoru bristle and felt her aura surge with jealousy. He couldn't fault her for it, by comparison Sano's companion made most women look comely.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me to your companions, Sanousuke." The woman spoke in a voice that sounded like velvet. Her eyes locked with Kenshin's; he couldn't break away from those brown eyes of hers. There was a heat behind that searching gaze he couldn't describe, except that it felt familiar.

"Yeah, everyone, I would like you to meet Megumi. This one is Kenshin and the little missy over there is Kaoru. Anyway I'm rather surprised to find them both here together. To think my very best friend has been hiding secrets from me."

"Most shameful," Megumi concurred.

Sano grinned. "Why if I didn't know better I might go as far to say that it might be a date."

"Sanousuke!" Kaoru snapped lunging at Kenshin's highly amused best friend. Sano nimbly avoided the half-hearted attack easily despite his size.

"Wouldn't you agree Megumi?" Sano asked.

"It would certainly appear so." Megumi laughed. Her eyes were filled with mischief. "But why someone as well mannered as Sir Ken would be interested in such a sweaty little girl as this is beyond me. Eh Kenshin?" She said stepping closer to him till they were no more than a hands breath away. Kenshin's head began to pound as he continued to meet her gaze. There was a playfulness there but also...a challenge perhaps.

A sharp pain caused him to totter backwards; his hands went to his temples. The pain was fleeting, but intense, like darts shot into his eyes. He closed his eyes, willing the memory of that pain to just go away, but even in the darkness he could still feel something watching him. So much that his skin itched. Worse yet, the itch only seemed to be intensifying.

A light pressure was applied to his hand and his skin warmed to the touch. "Kenshin..." spoke a soft voice that comforted him and banished the pain. Kenshin opened his eyes, inclined his head, and saw Kaoru standing right besides him.

"Gomen, I was just dizzy. I skipped breakfast and haven't had anything to eat all day." Kenshin lied. He really wasn't sure what had just happened, but smile was all it took to convince Kaoru though. He felt terrible guilt for playing off her too trusting innocence, but she would keep worrying. And then again perhaps it wasn't all a lie. It was true that he hadn't eaten anything today.

"Speaking of which didn't Jou-chan mention something about a beef-pot. I know that was what caught my attention earlier. I'm glad you volunteered to treat us Kaoru."

Sano's quick wit did not go over well with the class president. "Since when did I say I was paying to feed you! Sano, you are nothing but a lousy bum!"

"This may be a first and a last time, but I agree with the little girl. Food is all you men seem to care about." Megumi retorted with an arrogant toss of her dark hair.

"Little gir-you know what, whatever, let's just go somewhere." Kaoru snapped and stormed off.

Kenshin sighed. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If so, please leave a review. And special thanks to reviewers accebar regina and Pinay Tiger for your recent reviews. :)

Get ready for Chapter 6: The Police Chief (I told you that I would make up for it.)

Translation Notes:

Gomenasai - Excuse me, I'm sorry  
Gomen - informal form of Gomenasai  
Jou-chan - An address that Sano frequently uses when talking to Kaoru, taken from the original series. Roughly means "little miss"


	6. Chapter 6: The Police Chief

Author's Note: Two updates in one week! I'm going to try and push through as much as I can while I've got time off this week and nothing to do.

When I found this chapter on my hard drive, it was incomplete. The bulk of the new material begins at the police station if you are curious. And that's it. From here on in it is all new work. I -really- liked writing this chapter. Please tell me what you think or how I might do better. ^_^ Thanks so much.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

* * *

The Akabeko, the restaurant that Kaoru led them to was nearby and coincidentally was a favorite of both Megumi and Kaoru which they discovered to their surprise and displeasure.

The dinner rush hadn't quite begun so they were able to find a seat quickly in one of the traditional style booths along the back wall. The mood at the table was tense which was not helped by Sano's opening move of ordering a bottle of sake on Kaoru's dime. Between all this in-fighting and the constant bustle of the wait staff and patrons, Kenshin was feeling restless.

Kaoru and Megumi were locked in a competition of passive aggression, each trading "compliments" about about the other's preferences in clothing and style. Sano, meanwhile, struggled to keep the women's tempers at a simmer. Sano threw a few quips at Kenshin subtly requesting his assistance in this, but Kenshin's focus was elsewhere, dipping into the half-a-dozen conversations that all seemed to be happening at once.

The acoustics of this place must have been really terrible. He could hear orders barked from the kitchen and just barely discern the whispered flirtations of the business man and his escort in the private booth on the opposite wall. Idle chatter, great and small, Kenshin could hear everything as clearly as if he was a part of each conversation.

Kenshin closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose attempting to ease the mild headache that was setting in. The noise was really bothering him.

"Kenshin, are you alright?" Kaoru asked and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Kenshin looked over at her and felt his headache begin to clear when he met her blue eyes. "Yes, Kaoru-dono. I most certainly am," he said with a small smile and gave her hand a squeeze."

She glared, probably scrutinizing him for any trace of a lie, but was apparently persuaded and resumed an argument with Sano about disciplinary protocols at the school.

Kenshin felt a second set of eyes studying him. He did not have to look far and found Megumi staring at him quite blatantly. Her face was expressionless, clinical even, but there was a heat behind them that made Kenshin uncomfortable.

He quickly glanced away and looked around the dinning room for their waitress. He was parched, and hoped that another glass of water might settle him. He had already downed two. Maybe he was just dehydrated.

In a short time, their waitress arrived at the table with their food and another round of water for the entire party. They had ordered a beef pot and several sides of vegetables to share, family-style. Everyone else dug into the food, but Kenshin hesitated and wrinkled his nose at the food. Something didn't smell right.

Kenshin picked up a slice of beef with his chopsticks and shook the excess soy sauce from it by tapping the side of the pan. "How's the beef, Sano?" Kenshin asked his friend, who had already inhaled a fair share of the protein in the pan. "Is it cooked alright?"

"It's a bit chewy." Sano said while masticating on a mouthful of food. "Probably a little too well done."

Kenshin shrugged and raise the bit of beef to his mouth. Well done was fine. Better than raw, he thought and was quickly proven wrong. The meat was awful. Chewy was being polite. This beef had been grilled and then boiled in broth until it had become hard leather. Kenshin reached for a napkin and spit it out when no one was looking, but the taste of it still lingered in his mouth.

He tried to stick to vegetables after that, but everything in the pan tasted like the ruined meat and turned his stomach.

"Gomennasai, Kaoru. I need to step outside for a moment to get some fresh air." Kenshin said to her and excused himself from the table.

He walked out the front door and ran to an ally along the side of the building, gagging.

_God, that was awful_, he thought as he stood doubled over with one hand resting on his knee and the other over his mouth. Who would do that to a piece of meat. Beef should be soft and tender, and filled with juices.

For a moment Kenshin's mouth was thick with the taste of warm blood remembered from his nightmare. Kenshin's eyes widened in shock suddenly remembering the dream. The stag. The hunt. The kill. He stood up slowly, repulsed but not entirely revolted by the sensation. The memory did not fade, he noticed, as he licked the corner of his mouth nervously and tasted the air which was sweet and clean. This was messed up.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru's voice called, alarmed. Kenshin turned towards her and walked out of the shadows, joining her on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. "Are you okay?" She asked. "You're shaking."

"Am I?" Kenshin hadn't felt it, until he looked at his hands and noticed a slight tremor in them. "Maybe I'm not alright. Would you mind if we got going? I think I should probably get home and rest. The last thing I need is to get sick before those Chemistry exams."

Kaoru nodded. "Sure, I'll just go get the che-"

"Kenshin Himura" A male voice interrupted. Kenshin looked over Kaoru's shoulder at a police officers that was standing behind her.

"Yes, sir? Can I help you."

"I'm officer Sosuke Harada. We have a couple of questions for you about last week's incident. Would you please come with me to the station for an hour or so." The officer said flatly. Despite his politeness, this did not seem to be a question. Something about the man bothered Kenshin. It was a similar feeling to the officer who had taken their first testimony, but it was an unwarranted reaction. They were two completely different personalities. This man was nothing but professional in his introduction.

Kaoru turned around and addressed him. "Would you like me to come too? I was there that night with Kenshin."

The officer frowned. "Ah…yes, the Kamiya girl. Well my orders were to bring only your friend here. I'm sure another officer will be dispatched to question you too later. We like to do these things separately."

"Then I will save this other office the trouble. Either way I would like to come down to the station too and wait with him. This was supposed to be a date you know." Kaoru asserted not backing down.

Kenshin grinned at her admission that this was a date and not another favor. "I'll just go tell Sano." Kenshin said and started moving away, but the officer bristled. That was very odd.

"Oh just text him from the cruiser. It'll be a well deserved lesson. He'd already ordered a second bottle of sake after you left on my tab." Kaoru said peeved.

Kenshin hesitated to abandon his friend. He did not want to be so inconsiderate to Megumi.

"If you please, Mr. Himura. My partner will let your friends know and settle the check as recompense for the service you would be providing the department." The police officer waved to someone in the cruiser, and another uniformed man got out of the passenger's seat.

Kenshin stared at the man, troubled, but ultimately nodded and gave in to the request.

Kenshin helped Kaoru into the backseat of the police cruiser and climbed in besides her. He continued to hold her hand, but stared absently out of the window. Being in the backseat of this car brought back some unpleasant memories. He was all too aware of the subtle ache of the scar on his cheek and the way the skin around his wrists itched where he had been handcuffed.

The trip took twenty minutes. It was awkward and quiet since no one in the cruiser spoke one word that entire time.

At the police precinct, their officer lead them through the building and to a curious corner office in the basement. A dark haired man sat at the desk wreathed in a halo of smoke that had nowhere else to go. There were no windows. Both Kenshin and their police escort started coughing upon entry. The smell was awful, and the police officer, who had obviously been here before, switched on a fan that was hiding beneath a blue jacket next to the door. The fan began to circulate some of the fresher air of the hallway into the room. Kenshin's throat felt raw, but at least he could breathe now.

The occupant of this room had not moved since they entered except to flip a page in the folder that he held in his hands.

"I've brought them, sir," the police officer said.

The man took a long drag from his cigarette and tilted his head back to expel the smoke in a large plume above his head. "Them, you said? See the funny thing about that is that I believe I only asked for the _boy. _And yet here they both are. Christ, could you not tell one pretty boy from the other?"

Kaoru made a noise in throat her that sounded like she was choking and Kenshin doubted that it was from the smoke. It was a small jab, but Kenshin did not care for this man's tone. Her moved in front of her glaring at the superior officer in the room.

"She…ah…was rather insistent, sir." The young officer stammered.

"Oh and that is so much better. You're getting bullied by high school girls now are you?"

"Sir…"

"OUT!" The man barked and slammed the butt of his cigarette into the desk. A small orange ember flew into the air and fizzled out, but not before the light caught in the bright golden irises of the man's eyes. It sent a shiver up Kenshin's spine.

Kenshin liked this situation less and less. If he could have pushed Kaoru back out into the hallway, he would have, but the retreating police officer had already backed off and shut the door behind him.

The other man set his folder down and now turned to address the teenagers. He stared at them with his hands folded across his waist, leaning back in his office chair as far as it would allow. If he meant to look relaxed, he failed. Kenshin had a feeling that eyes like that never relaxed. "I was told that you had questions for us." Kenshin said.

"No, no. Just you. But I suppose it's alright that she's here. If you two are an item, she'd have to find out eventually that it's over."

"What are you talking about?" Kaoru snapped and pushed her way past Kenshin so that she could address this man directly at Kenshin's side.

"Later. First, there are questions, remember? So how are you feeling, son? Since the attack."

"I'm not your, son." Kenshin growled.

"Hah. I struck a nerve with that one. It figures." The man said with a callous smirk. "Fine. I'm Hajime Saitou, police chief at this precinct, and someone you're going to have to get used to. Now, what's been happening to you since last week, Himura."

Kenshin did not like where these questions were going. The nightmares and some of the rest were not things that he had admitted to Kaoru. "I've failed a math test, but I am otherwise doing pretty okay. Thanks for asking," he said flatly.

"Really? Because I don't think you're doing 'okay'. And I think you failed your math test because you haven't been sleeping well. What is it? Nightmares? Fever? And there's more, isn't there?"

"No."

The police chief rose from his chair and walked from behind his desk towards Kenshin.

"No? You're lying. I can smell it. You haven't told your little girlfriend any of this I assume. She's going to notice eventually. The irritability. The aggression. Our kind don't make very good boyfriends."

"What is he talking about Kenshin?"

"I have no idea, Kaoru, but this interview is over since the chief here doesn't seem to have any questions about _the_ incident."

That statement stopped Hajime Saitou, and he backed off, choosing instead to sit on the edge of his desk atop a cushion of paperwork. "No, you're right. Let's talk about that. Tell me about this, _dog." _Saitou said with a sneer on the word dog.

"What else is there to say. You have all of the same information in your report. A large animal, maybe a dog, attacked us when we went to help another woman caught in the park by it. She died. Or so I hear. I guess your officers didn't get to her in time."

"Oh she was dead before we got there. Dead and in pieces by that time," Saitou added without a drop of empathy, "but one more question, Mr. Himura. Were you bitten?"

"No, why does that matter?" Kenshin responded. Only the answer to that question was a punch to his gut. It happened fast, before Kenshin even realized that Saitou had risen from the desk and rushed him.

Saitou grabbed Kenshin by the neck and forearm and flipped him onto the top of the desk such that Kenshin's back was against the wood.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru screamed and charged at Saitou who did not hesitate in meeting her attack with a kick to her sternum. Kaoru crumpled to the floor gasping for breath.

"Kaoru!" Kenshin yelled and tried to throw Saitou off him, but even with all his strength, Saitou did not move. Not even an inch. The grip, Saitou had on him was…inhuman. Another memory came unbidden to Kenshin's mind. One where he faced an impossibly large dog, with golden, hungry eyes. They were the same as Saitou's, Kenshin realized, and they hungered for something from Kenshin that he could not begin to name. Kenshin's anger began to ebb, replaced with an emotion he did not feel often anymore…fear.

"Because, _boy, _if you were bit and managed to live through it, then that would make you like, _me._"

"Clearly I'm not."

"Oh come now, it's all in the report, remember." Saitoh smiled throwing Kenshin's words back at him. "You were bitten, and you've started to feel the changes."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kenshin deflected. He couldn't move his body, but he twisted his head slightly breaking Saitou's gaze.

"Then answer me this. Honestly. Do you believe that it was a dog you fought?"

"It could have been," Kenshin dodged again. An entirely implausible picture was beginning to form.

_No. No, it's not possible. It's a myth. Just stupid television.  
_

Frustrated, Saitou lifted Kenshin up a little and slammed his head on the desk. Saitou leaned in close, hovering over Kenshin's face and growled. The noise was entirely animal and theoretically impossible, but it resonated in the air and made the scene grow still. "Was it a dog!" Saitou shouted.

"NO!" Kenshin answered, finally giving up. "No, it wasn't a dog. More like a wolf."

"That's more like it, boy. A wolf it was. A lycan. Loupe Garou. Werewolf if you prefer the popular terminology. Like me. Like you will be too."

"God in heaven," Kaoru's voice chimmed in.

Saitou straightened and threw his head back laughing. "God's in his heaven and doesn't give a damn for the rest of us down here." He let Kenshin up and stalked back to the other side of his desk. "The moon rises in five days. You will change. Whether you'll be _exactly _like me remains to be seen. I'll be honest, the success rate isn't very good. Most young ones who come to it as you do fall into madness, like the poor unfortunate whom you met that evening. We killed him by the way. We have to when it happens like that."

Kenshin got up an rushed to help Kaoru off the floor. When they were on their feet, she held fast to his hand.

Funnily enough it was Kaoru that found the words first. "What if we choose not to believe you."

"I don't care." Saitou said simply and sat back in his chair. He propped his feet on the desk and started fidgeting with a pack of cigarettes he had in his pocket.

"That's a lot to accept without any proof."

"It is not necessary that I prove it to you. This is only happening to one of you after all and he'll soon be feeling all the proof he needs."

"Kaoru, let's just go." Kenshin said. "I'm tired of his mind games." Kaoru nodded and the pair turned to leave.

"Mr. Himura." Saitou called out, and inexplicably, Kenshin stopped to hear him out. "Before you leave, I want you to know one more thing. I do not relish what is happening to you, young man, and I honestly wish that it could be otherwise for you, young man. But it _has _happened and you'll have to come to terms with it or be destroyed. When the change happens, we will come for you. We will not leave you alone."

Kenshin glared. "I should have just kept walking," he said and turned his back on the lunatic.

Kaoru and Kenshin walked quickly out of the precinct and six blocks over before calling for a cab. Kenshin saw her home, but they departed at her doorstep in silence. Neither one of them were quite sure what to think after today.

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Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If so, please leave a review. And have a happy Turkey Day to those of you celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday today! Thanks for your review last chapter, Accebar Regina. :)

Coming Soon, Chapter 7: Dark Carnival


	7. Chapter 7: Dark Carnival

Author's Note: Not much to say this time. Enjoy! Special thanks to Accebar Regina, Melay, and Little Missy for their reviews.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

* * *

Finals exams began that Monday and lasted through Tuesday. Wednesday kicked off the school festival celebrating the end of the year, and the start of summer break. Between the exams and the festival preparations, Kenshin did not see or hear from Kaoru again except by text, but it was clear that she was worried.

He was looking for her now by their classroom exhibit and moving very slowly that day. He had been doing his best to try and ignore Saitou's warnings as the ravings of a madman, but he had to admit, the man had him spooked. His dreams had not gotten any more pleasant, and they did not fade away upon waking. Kenshin could remember now every visceral bloody image as night after night he hunted. Monday night, he dreamed he had hunted down a human. Although he could not remember any of the other's before meeting Saitou, Kenshin sensed that this was the first time a human had ever been his victim and he could recall vividly how different to blood had tasted. Sweeter.

And then last night...

Last night he had hunted Kaoru.

_It's all in my mind, _he repeated. _It's not possible. _But the truth was that Kenshin was beginning to grow afraid. He couldn't shake the memory of the kill. Her scream of terror as he took her down tore through him again when he thought about it. And her eyes...her eyes had know him for who he was even then.

Tonight was the full moon. What should he do? Lock himself in the bathroom on the off chance that the crazy police chief was right? _No. _It was preposterous.

Kenshin peeked into the tent where Tomoe would be reading fortunes later wondering if perhaps Kaoru was helping Tomoe set up before a crowd of patrons began arriving. Kaoru was not there, but Tomoe was, dressed in a priestess's robes. The tent was made of a thick canvas that blocked most of the sunlight and dimly lit by several collections of thick white candles arranged in the four corners of the room.

Tomoe was something of an oddity at the Catholic highschool. Her father's family have been caretakers of one of the prominent Shinto shrines in the local area for generations. Her mother however was Catholic, and a well to-do philanthropist of the St. Judith diocese. The rumors said that Tomoe was a full-fledged priestess of her father's faith which should have ruffled a few feathers among the Sister's, but it didn't. The Nuns seemed to ignore it for some reason. Perhaps they just didn't believe it, or then again, perhaps it had something to do with Mrs. Yukishiro's charitable donations.

Tomoe seemed utterly comfortable in a miko's attire, which suggested that it was more than just a costume for the occasion.

"Ohaiyo, Himura." She said formally in a small voice that gave nothing away. Kenshin had never been able to read the Yukishiro girl well. Few could, which was why Tomoe, like Kaoru, was rarely seen among friends. "Have you come for your fortune?"

"Gomen, Yukishiro-dono. I was just looking for Kaoru. I won't bother you further." He apologized.

"No. I insist. It would be a good warm-up for me before the other students begin to arrive. Sit." She said and motioned to a set of pillows on the floor.

Kenshin did as he was told not wanting to offend her. Meanwhile Tomoe knelt on the floor behind a low table that sat between them. She fished around in her voluminous sleeves and produced a couple sticks of incense which she swapped for incense that was already burning on the table. "I find this a much more pleasant scent," she explained. "I hope you won't mind. It can be a bit too strong for some people."

Kenshin shrugged and scratched at the back of his neck beneath the clasp of his mother's pendant where the metal touched his skin. The skin was raised and swollen like bug bite and the necklace was irritating it. "Whatever you like. It doesn't bother me any," he said. Truth-be-told however, he didn't care for it as much as the first which had smelled like apples.

Tomoe nodded and gestured for his hand. Kenshin complied. Something like static shock passed between them as she took his hand in hers. "Sorry," he apologized.

Tomoe did not acknowledge him. She sat, studying his palm intently looking concerned. "You are troubled."

Kenshin did his best to be polite and charming. "Yeah, the chemistry exam didn't go so well as I had hoped." He was skeptical of fortune tellers. It didn't take a psychic to know that a student in the throes of final exams would be troubled, but Kenshin didn't want to hurt her feelings by being rude.

"And you've not been sleeping. What are you dreaming about, Himura?"

Again, it didn't require psychic powers to observe the dark rings around Kenshin's soft violet eyes. "The aforementioned chemistry exam, I think. I don't remember them well," he said and coughed into his free hand a couple of times. The smell was starting to bother him. This incense was harsher indeed and much more acrid.

"That's not what I see," she said and pointed at the fork of two lines in the palm of his hand. "I see blood. Some old and some new."

Kenshin grew very still.

Her finger traced one of the lines as it moved towards the center of his palm. "Something happened to you recently. It hurt you badly. That incident is changing you."

Kenshin began to draw his hand away from her, but her fingers closed around his firmly. "You are going to kill someone if this happens. I see more blood in your future," she said looking straight into his face. "So what do you think of my predictions, Himura?"

"I think that Tomoe-dono is trying to scare me as a part of her act. I hadn't realized that the class had agreed to a haunted fortune-telling tent. Isn't that a little cliché?" He dodged.

"I know what's happening to you, Himura"

Kenshin ripped his hand away from hers and rose quickly to his feet. "Nothing is happening to me!" He shouted and was forced to draw in a deep breath of the air that was now heavy with Tomoe's incense. Kenshin began to cough violently.

Tomoe rose to her feet. "There is silver in that incense. As it burns, that silver dust is released into the air. You cannot deny what you are becoming. Silver is a natural allergy and poison to your kind."

Kenshin stared at her in horror still coughing. His lungs felt like they were being torn apart.

"The moon rises tonight, Kenshin Himura. You will become a monster then and cannot avoid it. I will give you the afternoon to decide. Perhaps it will be that you decide to die as a human instead of a wolf. If you aim for the heart, your regeneration powers are still weak enough to allow you to die with dignity. If you decide otherwise, then I rise with the moon to hunt you down as the Yukishiro family has always done to the demons of this world."

He could not breathe anymore. Before he passed out, Kenshin had to leave. He fled the tent at a run and tore through crowds of students that moved between the stalls.

The running forced clean air into his lungs, purifying him of the silver incense. Kenshin finally came to a halt beneath a green canopy of cherry trees trying to puzzle this out.

Tomoe too now claimed to have knowledge of werewolves and that he, Kenshin, was turning into one. And furthermore, the at priestess implied she was some sort of demon hunter.

_Christ! How was any of this possible!_

_Silver is a poison to your kind,_ she had said. Was it really as simple as that tired old movie cliche? His mother's silver pendant around his neck suddenly felt very heavy and he remembered the rash he had woken up with the night of the attack after he forgot to remove it and the bug bite that was bothering him now. Kenshin's hand drifted towards the pendant of Saint Thomas and gripped it firmly in his palm.

It was warm to the touch, but he did not let go. And after a minute or two, it began to grow hot bordering on painful.

Finally Kenshin yanked on the chain breaking the clasp and shoved it in his pocket. He stared at his hand in disbelief and the red oval mark the silver had begun to burn into his hand. The flesh was red and angry, but already the pain was fading much too rapidly.

_God in heaven, it's real. _But what did he do now?_  
_

Kenshin immediately left the school grounds and drove his motorcycle to the church. One of the priests on duty directed him to the confessional where Kenshin would find his master and sponsor that afternoon.

Kenshin sank into the cushioned pew bench of the confessional; his muscles going slack. The fight was leaving him. In body and soul, Kenshin realized that he was loosing this battle. Accepting this, he was becoming aware of the sensation that something was moving beneath his skin.

And now here he was at the church.

Kenshin struggled with his faith his entire life. God had not shown a commanding appearance in his fate to date, except through Father Hiko, but then Kenshin struggled with his sponsor too. Despite appearances, Hiko hadn't quite lead the example one might expect from a man of God. And as an instructor, Seijiro Hiko was a hard and unforgiving man. At a time like this though it seemed like the logical place to go, but what was he prepared to say? That he was going to become a monster? And then what?

"Forgive me, Father for I am a sinner. It has been….um…"

"A while, you moron." A deep, annoyed voice said from the other side of the screen. "What's your excuse this time?"

"Sorry, master. I've been busy."

"Pfffft. Bull shit," spat Priest Hiko in a very unpriestly manner. "I keep tabs on you through the Sisters at the school. If you have been busy, it hasn't been because of schoolwork. Your grades have been pitiful and I hear that you are still running with that renegade Sanousuke Sagara. Where is your discipline? I didn't take you in and teach you swordsmanship, for that Kenshin. You are supposed to live a different life than that of a troublemaker and banish the darkness life dealt to you in the past."

Kenshin shut his eyes, shamed by his master's disappointment in him.

"What did you do this time, Kenshin?"

"Truthfully master, I don't know if I want to talk about it."

"Kenshin, if you're in trouble, you can tell me."

"I-," Kenshin wanted to tell him. Ask him for his help, but who would believe it? He didn't think he had the time it would take to convince Hiko. And he didn't want to be here come nightfall and endanger this man. What could he do? "It's nothing, master." he said instead and bit into his bottom lip.

"It's not nothing, Kenshin, or you wouldn't have come. I know something's wrong. I can feel it from this side of the bench. There is something about the darkness around you. Something that's new."

"I can't. I don't know why I bothered coming here. I don't even know what I thought you could do." Kenshin gritted his teeth and shut his eyes, anger was starting to well up inside him.

"Don't be an idiot. Out with it, kid."

"Leave me alone!" Kenshin shouted at the screen finally snapping under Hiko's grilling. " I- just wanted to say hello." _And goodbye, _Kenshin realized and that was the crux of the matter. The real reason he had driven himself here was to say his farewells. "Thank you, master." Kenshin wanted to say so much more to the man who had thought to give him a second chance at a better life. "Thank you for seeing me today."

"Kenshin, look at me." Hiko ordered and Kenshin opened his eyes. "Boy….your eyes. Tell me what happened to you?"

Kenshin sat up straight, worried. What was wrong with his eyes? He stood up and ran from the confessional. He could hear Hiko calling for him, but Kenshin did not stop until he was back at his bike. He tilted the mirror so he could see his reflection. Amber eyes stared back at him through his heavy read bangs. They were eyes like Saitou's. A wolf's eyes.

"KENSHIN! WAIT!" Hiko's booming voice commanded from the church door.

Kenshin howled in human anger and leapt onto the back of his bike. He cranked the engine into gear and peeled off down street, leaving a strip of black rubber on the asphalt in his wake.

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Author's note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review if you have time. Your feedback is incredibly meaningful since I am writing fresh material again instead of polishing up some old stuff.

Stay tuned for the next chapter: Like Shattered Glass. The moon rises, is there any hope left for Kenshin? ;)


	8. Chapter 8: Like Shattered Glass

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long guys. Bit of an important chapter here so I wanted to get it right. If you have a moment, please take a moment to leave some feedback. Enjoy!

Special thanks to Accebar Regina, Katwalkchan, and Morningwolf for their reviews last chapter.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Like Shattered Glass**

Kenshin burst through his door and slammed it behind him. He went right to the bathroom and checked his reflection again, but his eyes were still that cursed color. "GODDAMMIT!" He yelled and punched the mirror. The glass shattered into irregular slivers and bit into his flesh. He shook his hand free of the glass bits and held his bloodied hand before his face.

_God help me, _he pleaded internally as involuntarily he began to lick the blood from his hand until his wounds stopped bleeding. There. He said it. Why couldn't he have spat out that simple omission earlier at the church?

But no help arrived. No angels materialized to lift him out of this darkness. There was no white light, no booming voices. Feeling helpless, he grew angrier.

Meanwhile, someone arrived at his door and was knocking urgently.

Kenshin, who was not at all in control of himself, did not bother to check the peep hole before throwing open the door. Kaoru was there looking worried. Kenshin shut his eyes tightly before she could notice and backed into the room. "No. You shouldn't be here."

"Someone saw you leaving the school earlier. They said you were upset. Are you okay?"

"No. I'm not okay." He said shaking his head forcefully. "And you need to go. You can't be here, Kaoru-dono."

"Kenshin, what happened! Look at me, all right? We'll fix it, whatever it is," she said and stepped into the apartment.

He kept backing away from her until he ran into the kitchen counter. Kenshin had to show her. She might leave then, if she was afraid. The memory of his nightmare in which he had hunted down Kaoru came unbidden to his mind. _No. She had to leave. __  
_

"No, Kaoru-dono I don't think there is a way to fix this." he said and opened his eyes. He was aware that there weren't many lights on and that his eyes must be the same brilliant amber that Saitou's had been down in the dark basement of the police station.

She grew very still. "Ken-shin," Kaoru stuttered with understanding.

"It's all true. He wasn't lying," Kenshin said, but speaking it aloud was hard. He's knees buckled, but he caught himself on the counter-top before he fell.

Kaoru. Brave, foolish, caring Kaoru, ran to his side. She slipped herself under his arm, using her body to steady him. Kenshin couldn't bear it anymore and pulled her into an embrace. He buried his face into her hair. She smelled like sunlight and cinnamon, he noticed. An observation he could probably attribute to these new superhuman abilities he had been developing. So many things suddenly made sense now that he was accepting that this could be happening.

_Why didn't I do this sooner_, he asked himself as he held Kaoru close. He realized that he had wanted her this way since the very first night when this had all started, but had waited and kept his distance because it wouldn't have been polite otherwise. "Dammit," he murmured.

Now he was alone, becoming god only knows what, and yet she was here allowing herself to be held by a monster. "I'm so sorry, Kaoru."

"Kenshin, the full moon is tonight. If that man was right…"

Kenshin tightened his arms around her in farewell before he released her. "Saitou was right. I think I can even feel the moon rising," he admitted.

"Then we need to go. Let's go to the mountains where my parents used to take me camping. Remember, I told you about them on the train. There aren't a lot of people in that area. You would be safe there," she said but the correct implication was that everyone else would be safe, safe from him if he became like that monster that he and Kaoru had encountered in the park a month ago.

Kenshin looked at digital display on his television: 5:30. "I would never make it in time." Sundown wouldn't be that far off and Kenshin didn't really know how this was going to happen. _Oh God. Kaoru_. She needed to leave **now.**

Kenshin began pushing her gently towards the door. "You need to leave, Kaoru. I won't hurt you. I won't!"

"No, Kenshin! I can't! How-how can I leave you to go through this alone? It's all my fault. All mine. If you hadn't come with me that day…"she was hysterical and wound her hands in his shirt tightly.

He shook his head. "Then it might have been you and Misao dead in that park, and I wouldn't have wanted that either." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his mother's silver pendant of her patron saint. "Here. Keep this with you, it was my mother's. Silver is supposed to be a poison to me. I don't know if it'll be of any help," he admitted as he looked at the flimsy chain. "He never loved my family, but he'll want to protect someone who's good like you."

Kaoru took the pendant from him and saw the red marks that the chain had left on his skin. "Oh Kenshin," she sobbed.

"Go to a friend's house tonight. Go somewhere that I won't know. I don't know what I might remember," he warned. Kenshin looked at her for what was probably the last time ever. He wished that this memory could have been of one of her smiles. "I'm going to find Saitou. I won't be alone." Kenshin said although he wasn't sure what kind of help he would find. Saitou had implied that he would kill Kenshin if it came to that and Kenshin did not doubt it.

"It's my fault…" Kaoru continued to cry.

Kenshin cupped her face in one of his hands. "What have I told you about apologizing needlessly," he said and leaned in to kiss her. He knew that this goodbye might be unfair to her. Possibly dangerous being this close, but if he was going to become a killer anyway, Kenshin would do this one last thing as a human. The kiss was tender and unhurried. They both knew that this was the first and the last.

"Farewell Kaoru," he said and lingered at her lips before he let her go. Kenshin started down the stairs and heard her collapse on the landing in tears. It killed him, but he couldn't turn around and go to her. He risked staying too long or giving her the opportunity to follow him if he waited until she recovered.

He would not have Kaoru's blood on his conscience.

Kenshin got back on his bike and speed off down the street. Sundown though was proving difficult to judge. The world had turned a golden yellow as the sun set, but Kenshin couldn't gauge the sun's position on the horizon since it was hidden by the trees and buildings that lined the streets. The moon, however, was already visible.

As Kenshin rounded a sharp corner onto a street that ran parallel to one of the large parks in the neighborhood, he got a good view of the pale sphere sitting full against a strip of open sky that was slowly fading to blue.

A sharp cramp hit him in his abdomen. It was strong enough to topple him from his bike and send him into a skid. Fortunately the road was clear and Kenshin was in no danger of getting run over. He thrashed on the asphalt for a few seconds, pinned beneath his bike. Finally the pain began subsiding. _Was it starting already? _ He wondered.

Kenshin struggled to his feet and righted the bike. A hose had snapped in the crash and the bike was leaking fluid now profusely. He doubted he would get very far on it. What was he going to do now? Was it too risky to call and wait for a cab?

He took out his phone and dialed for emergency services. A dispatcher responded on the second ring.

"You've reached emergency services. Who am I speaking with and what is the nature of your situation?"

"My name is Kenshin Himura and I need to reach Police Chief, Hajime Saitou."

"Sir, this is not the yellow pages. Do you have an emergency situation to report otherwise, please get off this line."

"I do! But I need Police Chief, Hajime Saitou."

"Sir, please describe the nature of your emergency and I'll report it to his precinct."

"No! I can't," Kenshin yelled and felt another convulsion coming on. The pain began in his back. The muscles along his spine twisted into knots. "Listen, I don't have much time. Just get a message to Saitou that Kenshin Himura will be waiting for him at," Kenshin looked for some street signs. "The cross street of Spring and...arrrh," he cried out as the pain intensified.

"Sir are you all right? Are you in need of medical assistance?"

"NO!" Kenshin yelled into the phone. "Just deliver that message to Saitou if you want to help me. Spring St. and Sendai, near the park. " He flipped his phone shut and accidentally crushed it in his hands. Kenshin wrapped his arms around his torso and closed his eyes.

_Please stop. Please stop changing. _He begged his body and focused on his breathing. The pain subsided again, thankfully.

"Kenshin Himura." A female voice said behind him.

Kenshin turned around and saw Tomoe Yukishiro standing on the other side of the street. She was dressed simply enough in jeans and a dark t-shirt; however, she also wore a full quiver of arrows across her back and held a notched bow in her hands.

"I see you have made your choice," she said and drew the bowstring back. She leveled an arrow at Kenshin's chest. "It is my duty then as an exorcist of the Yukishiro clan to end your dark life.

The last remnants of the sun's warm light danced across the polished arrowhead and it glowed as if on fire. Kenshin began backing away slowly. He didn't want to become a monster, but….he didn't want to die either he realized. Kenshin turned and ran. He heard bowstring snap as she released the arrow and Kenshin successfully twisted to avoid it.

He barreled through a hedge, using the branches as cover and ran deeper into the park. He couldn't tell whether Tomoe was pursuing him or not over the noise that he was making as he tore through the park.

Kenshin stopped to catch his breath and took cover among a group of large granite rocks where the neighborhood children usually played. The stones were the nearly the size of three small houses. He fought to slow his breathing down and listened for signs of her approach. It amazed him how noisy the park was at night. Although there were no other people out this late in the day, it was alive with the sounds of other nocturnal creatures who were waking up for the evening. Kenshin had the feeling that he was opening up his new senses in doing so and worried that perhaps he might inadvertently be rushing the change.

He didn't have to worry long because a new series of convulsions began to take hold of him. Kenshin could not keep himself from crying out and was brought to his knees this time.

Tomoe found him before he had fully recovered. She stood on top of one of the rocks and glared down at him.

_Stupid_, a voice said inside his head. Kenshin had acted like prey and trapped himself neatly between these rocks for her. He could remember now driving other animals to this end in his wolf dreams.

"You don't have much longer, Himura. The sun has set; the moon has risen." Tomoe said and drew another arrow.

She was right, Kenshin realized. The sky was a rich blue now and he could feel the moon's influence waxing fully.

"You will turn and you will kill. So stand down and die with dignity." And then Tomoe fired her arrow.

Her aim was off, however, perhaps obscured by the shadows that Kenshin had hidden among. The arrow pierced his shoulder and fire ripped through Kenshin's body. The arrowhead that had shined so brightly at dusk was made of silver. It reacted quickly to his blood. Poisoning him, but not fatally so since it missed his heart.

Kenshin howled in anguish in a voice that was still human, but something else had changed within him. He reached for the shaft and ripped it from his body. There was more pain, but Kenshin was nearly blind to it. An anger had awoken in him. Feral and brutal. He leapt up the side of the nearest rock and climbed to the top where Tomoe stood.

Tomoe threw away her bow and pulled a knife from her pocket. She lunged at Kenshin but he caught her by the throat and swept her leg out from under her. He took her down to the ground and straddled her across the abdomen.

"No," he said in a husky voice. The muscles in his throat did not want to respond to him as they should and it was getting difficult to speak. "I'll find a place to hide myself away. I won't hurt anyone," he swore. " Now, let me go, please."

Tomoe swung the knife at his face. Kenshin pulled back but the blade caught his cheek and cut a deep horizontal line across the scar that his father had given him.

He growled at her. The sound was entirely animal, but she did not seem afraid. Her brown eyes were bright with anger and resignation. "Impossible. You will kill. Again and again. You won't be able to fight the urge to hunt." she warned.

"NO!" He yelled but he could scarcely articulate the word.

Through the trees a wolf howled. Kenshin shivered. The sound stirred something within him. Kenshin could smell a pack closing in on him. The human side of him wondered if the pack belonged to Saitou, but this new darker creature occupying his body felt very threatened.

"They are not your friends. No matter what promises they made you," Tomoe said. Kenshin leveled his amber eyes at her. _Was she in danger from them if he kept her restrained? _Probably, but she would most surely attack him again if she let him up. Enemies. Enemies all around him. He tightened his grip around her throat without thinking about what he was doing.

"I've seen your soul, Himura," she managed to rasp even though Kenshin was close to cutting off her air supply. " You're too dark and twisted inside to survive this. Let me go, and I'll end your life for you. I'll let you die as a human."

By now more wolves had joined the first. The park was filled with their voices. They all seemed to call for Kenshin or was it that they called for his blood? A predatory anger filled him at the thought of becoming prey himself.

_Rise_, a voice within him commanded, but Kenshin fought it still.

_Rise and live. Run and be free. _ The dark presence in him urged and his whole body shook with longing for it. _Freedom..._ it was everything that the human-Kenshin wanted. To be free of this struggle now. To be free of the pain and guilt that he had carried all these years in his human life.

Kenshin felt a final pang of sorrow and thought briefly of Kaoru as he looked up into the sky and at the full moon. The white light filled him with fire and waves of pain washed over him as his human form was undone. Bone and muscle twisted, broke, and reformed. He grew fangs, fur, and claws to match his hunter's eyes.

Tomoe screamed and thrashed beneath him. In the violence of the transformation, Kenshin's hand had gripped her too tightly and his claws sank into the soft flesh of her neck.

He looked down and saw her choking on her own blood. He felt nothing, but the smell of her blood filled him. This woman who had thought to hunt him…he would devour her for her pride. Kenshin threw back his head and howled with primal delight.

"Kiyosato" she whispered and a strange emotion lingered in her eyes as the light died within them. Oddly, that moment stopped Kenshin. Memories rolled through his mind of the woman. She was always composed in them. Hard. Always emotionless. Now she was still and the blood flow began to stem.

Kenshin wet his muzzle in her blood but did not taste. He nudged the women's head, but it rolled limply to one side. He let out a long mournful knell at her death with a wolf's voice. Why had she look so sad? _And why did it matter to him_, his hunger asked of him. Kenshin licked the blood from his muzzle and uttered a pleasured growl. She tasted like smoke and plum wine, but Kenshin realized that he what he craved was something more than this broken body. It was something remembered by his human form; a woman that tasted like cinnamon and sunlight.

The wolf remembered the smell of this Cinnamon and Sunlight and the feel of her in his human arms. He imagined how she would look with fear in her blues eyes when she finally saw him coming for her. The thrill that surged up in him was fleeting. Abject horror slammed into its place as Kenshin Himura, the man not the wolf, realized what he was contemplating.

_No! _He would not hunt Kaoru.

A blunt force slammed into Kenshin's side, knocking him from the top of the rock. The wolf, Kenshin, rolled to four paws with his fangs bared in challenge. A gigantic black wolf stood in front of him, hackles raised but otherwise controlled. Kenshin huffed and caught a dominant scent that he recognized as Saitou's. Saitou in his wolf form began to circle him and Kenshin did the same.

Saitou's commanding presence drew him into this fight and Kenshin felt the beast rising up in him again. Kenshin knew that he had to get away. Head north, out of the city. Maybe he could find the mountains that Kaoru had talked about. If he stayed and fought, he would lose himself again.

Saitou was prepared to kill Kenshin. That much was perfectly clear to Kenshin's heightened senses. The old wolf had seen Kenshin with Tomoe's body. He most likely assumed that Kenshin had lost himself to his baser instincts and killed for hunger and pleasure.

Other wolves arrived on the scene, three of them. They formed a half circle around the pair, which would make escape more difficult. With the back-up in place, Saitou lunged at him.

Kenshin rose up on his hind legs and met Saitou's attack head on. They snapped at each other as they fought to gain the upper hand on the other. Saitou found his mark first and caught Kenshin across the scruff of Kenshin's neck. Kenshin yelped as Saitou wrestled him to the ground.

The air was again filled with the sound of wolves. The interruption stopped Saitou from pursuing a fatal blow. He tilted his head and listened while Kenshin panted on the ground beneath him. There were more wolves coming. Kenshin could hear at least seven other voices.

Saitou growled in the direction of one of his wolves, a small brown wolf who huffed but ran off in the direction that Saitou and his pack had arrived from. Kenshin found his opening. Kenshin leapt up and slashed at Saitou's face with one of his claws. Unlike a regular wolf, his kind had long brutally clawed digits that retained some of the dexterity of a human hand.

Kenshin landed a good blow across Saitou's eyes. The old wolf howled and Kenshin ran past him. The other two wolves tried to intercept him, but Kenshin dodged them easily. He had spilled blood with his claws again, and his instincts were taking over. Saitou was older and more experienced, clearly an alpha, but Kenshin the hunter would not be taken down by anything less.

Combating the rising tide of his predatory nature, Kenshin tried to hold onto his guilt. He had killed someone tonight. Again. He had to get himself away from the city. Away from all these people.

He left the park and kept charging through the city heading north and used the stars as guidance. He could still hear the wolves at this back, and above, the moonlight fueled his blood.

* * *

Author's Note: HAH! Yes, he kissed her. Kissed her like he should have done in episode 31 when he left for Kyoto! Ah fan fiction…you heal all wounds. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please take a moment to leave some feedback. Thanks!

Up next, Chapter 9: I'll Be Waiting


	9. Chapter 9: I'll Be Waiting

Author's Note: A short update for you on Christmas Eve. Have a happy and safe holiday.

Special thanks to Accebar Regina, night-lion, and SRAS9 for their feedback and support. If you enjoy this chapter, please take a moment to write a review. It's not too late to get off Santa's Naughty list. Improve your karma scores by leaving some feedback on any number of the wonderful stories on . We writer's dearly love hearing your thoughts. (Both the good -and- the bad, it helps us improve.^_^)

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

* * *

**Chapter 9: I'll Be Waiting**

She waited for him to turn up, and tell her that it had all been silly prank. But Kenshin never came.

For weeks she sulked around her house or waited for him in his apartment. She found a spare set of keys in his kitchen and Kenshin hadn't exactly bothered to lock up before he fled. The wait drove her nuts, but she felt more comfortable in his space. If he came back, he would come here first. She was sure of it.

Kaoru slept poorly all that time whether she was at home or at his place. When she closed her eyes she saw him again standing in his apartment with eyes that were a brilliant amber. He never responded to her when she spoke to him. In her dreams Kenshin usually just stood there staring at her with a cruel smile that was out-of-place on his face while she begged him to come back. Once he had attacked her, becoming a huge black wolf. She hadn't been able to sleep for the rest of the night after that.

Kaoru was locking up at Kenshin's apartment before heading home for the evening after completing her daily vigil.

"Hey Jou-chan!"

Kaoru looked over the railing and saw Sanouske staring up at her from the pavement with his arm around Megumi's shoulder. Kaoru's emotions were mixed. She usually wanted to hit Sanousuke, but he was Kenshin's best friend. Perhaps he had gotten a message from Kenshin.

"Konbanwa, Sanousuke. Megumi" She said as she descended the stairs.

"Hey, is Kenshin all right? He isn't returning any of my phone calls. I need my good luck charm back; my luck has never been worse without him."

Kaoru's shoulders slumped forward. So much for that hope. "I hope so. He isn't even here right now."

"I wondered about that. Where'd he run off to?"

"I don't know." She said with her eyes downcast. She couldn't tell Sanousuke. He wouldn't believe her. Christ, she barely believed it herself.

"But you're watching the place for him? Come on Jou-chan, stop holding out on me. You've got to know where he went since you're his house sitter."

"Look, I don't know! Alright?" She snapped. Her eyes grew moist. "He just left, okay. He didn't say where he's going and I don't know why he hasn't called either of us." Damn. She hadn't wanted to cry in front of either of these two. _Especially_ not Megumi. The woman made her uneasy. It had been appalling how she looked at Kenshin when they first met while on the arm of her _boyfriend_ Sanousuke no less.

"Sir Ken, strikes me as a complex man," Megumi began to say with that insufferable smile, "he can't share every burden with you two children."

"Hey, watch the name calling, Fox." Sano warned but he was all smiles for his companion as he leaned down and nuzzled her hair.

Kaoru's tears spilled over her dark eyelashes. _Dammit! _She wasn't a child. "You don't know anything about Kenshin," Kaoru spat.

"True, but I know men like him" Megumi said, unruffled by Kaoru's emotional state. She locked eyes with the despairing Kaoru and then Kaoru felt something. Heat. Megumi's gaze seemed to paralyze her. Unable to move, it forced Kaoru to recall an unpleasant memory.

_Yes, _it was similar to the way she had felt every night in her dreams where she faced the amber eyed beast inside Kenshin. Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise and alarm, but Megumi didn't have a wolf's eyes. What was she? Was it really possible? Megumi nodded to her as confirmation.

"What you have to understand, little girl, is that a man like Sir Ken must be hunted out in kind and brought to heel. That's the only way you're going to catch one like that, although if you ask me…you should just let that one go. He's too much for a silly little girl like you."

Sanousuke snorted. "You make it sound like she was training a Doberman."

"Why Sanousuke, that is a brilliant analogy. All men are dogs, after all." Megumi grinned.

Sanousuke laughed it off and howled at the sky like a dog himself.

"Sumimasen," Kaoru interrupted the lovers' moment and bowed in apology. "Thank you Megumi-san, you've given me much to think about."

Megumi nodded. "Remember what I said, little Kaoru. Sometimes it is better to let them go."

Kaoru nodded as if she were considering it and hurried off. In reality she had already decided on two things. First, that she wasn't just going to sit around anymore wrapped in her guilt. She was done crying. If Kenshin was out there, she was going to find him and fight for him if it came to that. Tomorrow she would go down to the police department and search out Saitou even though the man terrified her.

And second…that she was going to trust Kenshin. She didn't care whatever else he had become, there was a human being inside him that was kind and compassionate. She had to believe that that person still existed, and that he might need help coming back to the light.

* * *

Author's Note. Totally short chapter, but really, nothing else needed to be said. I hope that the scene from the original series translated well in which Megumi gives Kaoru that pep talk which sends her off to find Kenshin in Kyoto.

These are the moments in which I really love writing Kaoru. She cries. She can be immature and helpless at times, but for all her faults she's able to draw incredible strength from her unparalleled compassion when it counts.

If you enjoyed the chapter, please take a moment to leave a review.

Get ready for **Chapter 10: Kenshin**

^.^ Yuuuuuup. He's baaaaaaaaaack, but what exactly has he become? Dun dun duuuuuun.


	10. Chapter 10: Kenshin

Author's Note: I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Enjoy the new chapter and if you have a moment, please leave some feedback.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Kenshin**

Kaoru's search was agonizingly fruitless. Three days at the police station had gotten her almost nowhere. Originally, she had planned to storm down to the police station and confront the police chief. She'd threaten to expose what he and his favorite officers probably were if he didn't take her to Kenshin. Saitou refused to see her and eventually had left instructions with the receptionist to turn Kaoru away on arrival with a police escort if necessary.

It was worrying. What if there wasn't anything left of Kenshin? Saitou's men had killed the last new werewolf they found, the one that had bitten Kenshin, and implied that they would do the same to Kenshin if he lost control on the night of the full moon. Kaoru refused to think about it too much. He was stronger than that and too kind to become a killer. Kenshin had to be alive.

Luckily, by avoiding her, Saitou also lead to her first big break. While picking at a salad at a sub shop across the street from the precinct, Kaoru overheard a revealing bit of conversation. A young man in a policeman's uniform was talking on his cell-phone. From the grimace on his face, it did not look like a pleasant call.

"Yes Chief," he said, "I apologize for taking my break before giving my report, but there's nothing new to report. I couldn't catch a scent of him at any of the city morgues." There was a long pause during which the young man flinched noticeably. "No sir, I'm not mistaken. I double checked all the paperwork. None of the vics were killed in an animal attacks except the one."

The choice of words were too perfect. _Could they be talking about Kenshin?_ Kaoru moved her food around with her fork as she strained to hear more, but the conversation ended shortly thereafter. The young officer paid his check and left while Kaoru sat processing what she might have heard. What did _"except the one"_ mean, she wondered and hoped that it didn't mean what she thought it might.

Regardless, it didn't sound like Saitou's men had Kenshin. So where would he go? He had never spoken of any family except for the priest that sponsored him at the Academy. Was he even human enough to seek anyone out for help?

Kaoru quickly brushed that though away with a shake of her head. Yes. Kenshin was still Kenshin. Otherwise there would have been more bodies as the officer had implied and therefore, something Saitou could have used to track him. If he were still human, he'd know to go hide, somewhere where he could be safe.

And then Kaoru remembered.

The night Kenshin had left her on the landing, she had begged him to come away with her to the mountains where she and her parents used to go camping. Might he have gone there? It had to be worth a shot. And anyway…he was alive. He was alive and Saitou didn't have him.

Kaoru paid her bill and hurried home to prepare.

A full month had passed since Kenshin's disappearance. That night another full moon rose.

…

**Nearly a month later**...

Kaoru had spent the last three weekends "camping" with little to show for it. Only a few weeks remained before school started back and another full moon rose and waned.

Like usual she followed one of the main trails for two hours or so before stepping off the well traveled path. She marked her map to the best of her knowledge where she was breaking away from the documented trails. and with a roll of surveyor's tape around her wrist she began pressing deeper into the woods. Her map now bore eight new trails sketched in with green marker and not one of them had lead her to any sign indicating that she was on the right track.

Her mood was somber. The implausibility of all this was not lost on her. How, in all of this dense forest, was she going to find someone who probably didn't want to be found. Supplies were another obstacle. She could only go so far one with what little she could carry. Kaoru had begun wondering how long could she keep up this goose chase. If she didn't find him soon…would she have to give up? School would be starting again soon and she would be forced to turn her attentions to the headache of college applications. Her uncle wouldn't keep allowing her to disappear for days at a time when her studies came back into the picture.

Kaoru shook aside those thoughts. No. No matter what he said, she would find a way out here. She would just have to work extra hard during the week, maybe give up the Student Council, but she wouldn't leave these mountains until she had found him.

The sun was setting as Kaoru made it to her first marker. A week back she had found a cave at the base of a small hill that made for a cozy base camp in this part of the woods. And it was a good thing too. The forecast had predicted rain tonight, but the cave would offer shelter and dry ground. Tomorrow she would turn north west and explore new woods, but for now there was just enough light left to lay out her sleeping bag and supplies.

For awhile she heard birds in the trees and saw dozens of squirrels at play, but as the sun set the animals seemed to grow uncharacteristically agitated.

When night fell, the forest grew silent except for the distant rumblings of thunder. It felt strange to Kaoru. She had gotten used to the nocturnal sounds of the woods. As she turned in for the night and waited for the rain, she felt very alone in the near darkness with only a small battery operated lamp to keep her company.

…

The weather channel had predicted rain, but the front that arrived was no minor shower. A violent storm rolled in above the pine canopy, and the temperature dropped to uncomfortable levels. Kaoru shivered in her sleeping bag while she dozed intermittently between raucous peels of thunder. She was beyond exhausted, but Kaoru couldn't sleep. It was so cold and felt more like autumn than summer.

It was probably her nerves getting the best of her but strange shadows skittered across the ground or moved in the darkness among the trees. Sometimes she heard hissing, but realized it was only the wind shaking the pine needles. Kaoru truly wished she were home right now.

Her eyelids fell heavily over her sapphire eyes as she imagined herself back in her warm, big bed, but even as they did, white lighting laced the sky and illuminated the mouth of the cave and the dark silhouette that stood upright before it. Startled, Kaoru sat up in alarm and then the silhouette rushed at her. She screamed as the figure threw itself down on top of her and reached over her shoulder with superhuman speed.

Behind her, some other living creature other than her attacker also screamed in mortal pain. Kaoru turned her head and saw a clawed hand, humanlike but twisted into sharp claws gripping the head of a bronze snake. The claws punctured the soft serpentine body beneath the snake's flat head while the snake hissed and thrashed in this death grip. With it's fang fully extended the snake fought on as the life drained out of it.

Kaoru turned around slowly and stopped breathing. Kenshin leaned over her, straddling her in her sleeping bag. He drew his arm back and flung the snake's dying body over his shoulder towards the mouth of the cave. Without speaking or looking at her directly he started to stand. Kaoru, however, was faster.

Her hands reached out and wrapped around one of his arms. She caught him off-ballance and pulled him back down with all of her strength. Kenshin landed on his side with a grunt alongside her sleeping bag.

"Kenshin!" She cried with tears in her eyes. He was naked she realized. Kaoru blushed furiously in the near darkness, but her embarrassment would not ruin this reunion. "You're alive…"

He kept his head down such that she couldn't see his face behind the tangled mess that his red hair had become.

"Kenshin," she said again with a bite of irritation and worry in her voice. She'd been camping in the woods for a month looking for him and he wasn't even going to speak to her. This was happening just like her nightmares. "Look I don't care. I don't care about any of it. I care about…" She stopped herself from getting carried away and more calmly continued, "I trust you, Kenshin." She moved a hand to his cheek and felt a set of scars beneath her palm. That was new. She tried to raise his head but he resisted and would not budge.

Kaoru glared at him and pinched his scarred cheek. "Kenshin, why do you have to be such a JERK."

Kenshin pulled away and flopped onto his back. "Oh god…Kaoru, only you," he said in a deep voice that seemed strained, but he surprised her by breaking into laughter. "I've become god only knows what, and you boss me around like I'm the petulant child."

Kaoru huffed and crossed her arms.

Kenshin raised his hand, which had returned to normal, to brushed the hair away from his face. His eyes remained locked on the ceiling, but Kaoru could see that they were still that same brilliant amber. "I'm either crazy or exceedingly selfish but a part of me is glad that you've kept coming out here. I missed you Kaoru." As he said this Kaoru noticed that the irises around his pupils were flecked with violet and that both scars across his cheek that were still red and swollen like they were both new.

"I'm going to say that you're probably both crazy and selfish," she said.

Kenshin chuckled and closed his eyes.

The silence was unnerving. There was so much to say, but where did one begin? "Thank you for killing the snake, Kenshin."

"I heard its warning hiss while I was watching the cave. I was worried you'd do something to startle it into striking."

"But you were the thing that startled me, Kenshin," Kaoru pointed out. "And wait a minute…what do you mean you're glad that I kept coming out here? Have you been watching me sleep in the dirt this WHOLE time!"

Kenshin coughed uncomfortably and sat back up. "I should probably go."

"NO," she begged, "please stay. You can't leave now. I've looked for so long just to bring you back."

Kenshin looked her in the eyes. As he did so, Kaoru saw the violet in his eyes fade again to total amber. "Kaoru, I can't go back." he told her sadly, "Saitou's men will kill me. I did something that night." he confessed.

Kaoru found that she was crying again for the first time in a month. "No…"

He nodded looking exhausted. "Maybe out here they might leave me alone out. I'm not bothering anyone except to steal the occasional article of clothing from a hiker when I feel like being human again."

"Then stay with me tonight. It's pouring out there. You'll get sick."

Kenshin looked out into the night. "The rain doesn't bother me that much especially not after I've transformed. Wolves don't care about the what the weather is; it just is."

"You're not a wolf, Kenshin," she insisted.

"Am I not now, Kaoru-dono? You don't know what it feels like. How good it feels sometimes. When I'm running. When I'm hunting. Somedays I wake up and don't remember what it was like to feel otherwise and I don't want to. It's only been two months!" There was so much anger and pain in his voice. "What does that say about me? I think I've always been some fucking monster." Kenshin suddenly cried out in pain and wrapped his arms around his body.

Kaoru moved towards him, but he glared at her.

"No! Don't touch me right now." He warned with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

She sat back down and kept her hands in her lap. Kaoru wasn't sure if she was even breathing right now. This was Kenshin. This was still Kenshin, but he was also something else now. "You won't hurt me," she said.

"I'm glad you're so confident" he said through clenched teeth and closed eyes.

"I'm confident in you. You might have completely lost yourself to the wolf in you that first night, but you didn't. You came back. You're still Kenshin, and I meant what I said earlier. I trust _you_, Kenshin."

"You're trusting me with your life you realize."

"I do," Kaoru said not backing down.

Kenshin took a deep breathe. "Fine. I'll stay tonight, but keep your distance from me. Okay?"

"Alright. Whatever you say, Kenshin."

"Kaoru? Do you still have my mother's pendant?" He asked with large open eyes. Even though they were still that striking amber color, his expression was almost childlike.

"Yes."

"Will you were it on the outside of your clothing? Just to be safe. Please?" He asked abashed.

"Of course I will, Kenshin. Err….do you need a blanket or maybe one of my spare shirts to sleep in?" She asked referring to his obvious nakedness.

He shook his head quickly and mumbled something about too much cinnamon. Kenshin scooted as far away from her as he could sitting against the cave wall with his knees tucked up to his chest.

"Goodnight, Kenshin." Kaoru said and lay back down. She was not expecting to get any sleep while the storm still raged outside, but at some point while listening to Kenshin's breathing she lapsed into a deep, peaceful slumber.

* * *

Author's Note: I really loved writing this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it too. Get ready for the next installment, Chapter 11: Trust.


	11. Chapter 11: Trust

Author's Note: I seem to have a habit of posting updates on holidays. Happy New Year everyone! I hope that 2011 will be a good year for all of us.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobushiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Trust**

Kenshin wasn't in the cave when Kaoru woke up, but something smelled like it was burning.

When she emerged from the cave to investigate she found Kenshin tending a fire with some animal roasting on it. He was bare-chested, but at least he had found some pants somewhere.

_"I'm not bothering anyone except to steal the occasional article of clothing from a camper when I feel like being human again," _he had said last night. Well wherever they had come from, Kaoru was glad about it. With the shock of seeing Kenshin again wearing off, she wasn't sure she could have controlled her embarrassment in the daylight. It was bad enough with him being only half-naked. Kaoru caught herself staring and hid her face with her bangs. This was not the time or place, but damn he was attractive.

"What's for breakfast," Kaoru asked.

"I caught a couple of rabbits this morning. I figured that I'd make you breakfast before you left as a send off. Besides, you only pack granola bars when you come out here. That's not a balanced meal, Kaoru." Kenshin lectured while stirring the fire. "I'm not sure how you hiked as far as you have living off that stuff. It tastes like dirt."

She looked at the spit over the fire and counted only one rabbit. "Where's the other?"

"Err…," Kenshin blushed, "I short of ate mine already. I didn't think you would want it prepared the way I like it these days."

Kaoru paled catching his meaning. The silence that followed dragged on. She saw him fighting with his hair again that unbound, kept falling forward into his face. She noticed also that her hair brush lay on the ground besides him, but little headway seemed to have been made in untangling the mess. "Here, let me help you brush your hair out. That looks like a two man job."

Kenshin bristled but didn't voice any protest. Kaoru picked up the brush and knelt behind him.

It was slow work and Kaoru had to get tough on some of the larger mattes. While working through one she pulled too hard and ripped a chunk of his hair out. Kenshin did not yell instead a wholly animal growl rumbled from his throat. Kaoru pulled her hands back and froze while he regained his composure.

"Be more careful," he asked annoyed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Please," he added as an afterthought.

It was totally bizarre watching these split personalities trade off dominance at such lightning speeds. Kenshin was still Kenshin, considerate and polite to a fault, but this primal side of him was made of aggression and impatience. His dual natures seemed constantly at odds with one another whether there was a full moon out or not.

"Gomen." She said quietly and resumed brushing.

"No, no. I'm the one in the wrong. I'm so sorry, Kaoru." He said with more compassion. "You know the anger isn't directed at you?"

"I know." She said comfortingly.

"It's no excuse. Believe me I know, and it rips me apart every time I yell at you."

"You'll learn to control it, Kenshin. I believe in you." Kaoru assured him.

"Maybe," he said glumly without a lot of conviction in his voice. He seemed so sad and distant right now. "Either way, I won't to risk your safety by keeping you close."

"I was about to ask…if I could stay another day, Kenshin. My uncle isn't expecting me back until tomorrow. I could stay. Just one more day, please," she pleaded.

But Kenshin shook his head. "No. Another full moon rises in a day or two. I can sense it and I think that it's what is making me more irritable. You should get going after-" he froze mid-sentence and looked out into the woods. "Shit!" Kenshin cursed and rose gracefully to his feet.

Kaoru stood up too. "What is it?" She asked.

"Wolves." Kenshin said in a husky voice that bordered on a growl. His face was a storm of malice, but his body posture was poised and protective. He pulled her behind him. "Stay close, but run if I tell you." He instructed sternly.

Kaoru could hear them now too, crashing through the brush as a pack circled around them. Her hand stroked the silver pendant that had once belonged to Kenshin. She had no idea how it would help her against a pack, but maybe she could swing the chain like a flail. It was her only idea and her only weapon at the moment unless she could get to a large enough stick that might serve as a bokken. In addition to the Student Council, Kaoru was also an assistant master in the school's Kendo club.

Two wolves and a man stepped into the clearing. Kaoru recognized the man as the police chief that she and Kenshin had encountered when they first learned the ugly truth. Police Chief Hajime Saitou.

"Well now, are you two finally done playing house?"

"Saitou." Kenshin growled looking like he was ready to lunge for the man.

Saitou raised his hands up over his head and showed that he was unarmed. "All right, settle down now. We haven't come to fight unless you turn it into one."

"I don't believe it for a moment. Not after what I did," Kenshin argued back.

Kaoru's attention darted back and forth between Kenshin, Saitou, and the wolves that stood beside the police chief. It was the first good look she'd ever gotten of the creatures since the light was good and neither one of the wolves seemed interested in attacking her at the moment. They looked like very overly large wolves with long paws and jointed digits that were vaguely more human-like than animal.

"There are some extenuating circumstances that I want to talk to you about before we decide what to do with you, boy, but let me ask you this first. Do you really want to do this in front of the girl?"

Kenshin turned and looked at her. His expression was laced with worry and sadness.

"We'll go up to that ridge," Saitou suggested. "You'll be able to see her the whole time, and I'll tell the pack to back off. I'll let you tell her about that night when you're ready."

Kenshin's shoulders slumped forward and he nodded. Saitou waved his hands and the wolves at his side bounded into the forest.

"Just one more thing, Himura. Were you really going to feed her that?" Saitou said pointing at the cooked rabbit. "I don't think that's even fit for a human anymore. You burned it, pup. Badly." He reached into his coat pocket and produced something wrapped in white paper that looked like a sandwich. He tossed it towards them and Kenshin caught it.

Kaoru watched him unwrap it and sniff at the contents. Kenshin wrinkled his nose, but passed it over to Kaoru. She took it from him and saw that it was a tuna salad sandwich. "Thank you." Kaoru said.

Saitou nodded. "I'll pass that along to my wife. She likes to make these lunches for the pack sometimes disregarding the fact that I **hate **tuna."

"Let's get this over with, Saitou." Kenshin interrupted.

"As you wish, Himura."

Kaoru watched them retreat up the hill together. She sat down and tried to eat her breakfast, but found that she had no appetite. What happened that night that Kenshin didn't want to tell her yet. Had he perhaps killed someone?

…

Kenshin followed Saitou up the hill not knowing what to think. So far the man had kept his word and the pack had withdrawn. Saitou seemed relaxed and confident, and Kenshin sensed nothing in the man indicating that he had come here to fight.

_But he brought his pack with him, _the hunter within him warned. There were four wolves nearby, and unlike the police chief, all of them were very ready to attack if it came down to that.

Saitou took a seat on a large stone and fished in his jacket for a cigarette and lighter. It was almost infuriating how unconcerned he seemed. Kenshin squared off in front of him as if he were readying to throw a punch and launched into an interrogation of the man.

"Have you come here to kill me?" Kenshin said in a menacing whisper.

Saitou lit up took a drag from the cigarette. "Nope. Do you want to die?"

"No." Kenshin said and he knew that he meant it. Even if though this life of his was utterly messed up now, Kenshin had found a form of peace in these woods. If it was a choice between being put down like a rabid dog or living out the rest of his days in the forest as an animal, he could honestly say that he'd choose the later.

"I didn't think you did. Otherwise you would have let that exorcist do it for you. She'd have been quick about it. Put you out of your misery while you were still human, but I'm sure she explained that to you before you killed her."

Kenshin cringed and the scar on his face where her knife had cut him throbbed. Much of that first night was blurry to him. He had nearly lost himself to his predatory nature until the guilt of Tomoe's death brought him back, but he could remember how she'd looked as she died. And if he thought about it for too long, he could still remember how her blood had tasted.

"Look, we kill the ones that don't remember their human lives. The ones that live for their hunger. The ones that don't come back."

"And that's supposed to absolve what I did!" Kenshin shouted suddenly, deflecting the anger that he felt internally at Saitou. "I did lose myself. Then I killed her, ripped her apart in my claws, and attacked you!"

"Are you sure that you don't want to die? You're making a compelling argument right now." Saitou said calmly with a raised eyebrow.

Kenshin grew quiet.

"You're bleeding." Saitou pointed out.

Kenshin put a hand to his scarred cheek and it came away slashed with crimson. "It just won't heal. " He said more calmly. "Everything else closes up right before my eyes. I don't get sick. I don't tire easily, but this one injury…"

"It's their weapons. They're special. That wound will trouble you for quite sometime and it'll never heal completely so long as you harbor guilt over what you did. That girl was a priestess of the Yukishiro clan, a family of demon hunters and exorcists of the Shinto faith that have hunted our kind since her family organized in the early days of the Tokugawa shogunate. Unlike some other hunter associations, she'd have killed you no matter how you turned out just for **what** you are. I will not kill my brother for defending himself, and…I would like to apologize for baring my fangs at you that night. I did not understand the situation at the time. We only found her weapons later."

Kenshin stared at Saitou dumbfounded. Did he really just hear all that right? And had the man just called him a brother?

"Now Himura," Saitou said addressing Kenshin in more formal terms. "Will you have a seat. And do try to compose yourself, you are putting me on edge and I have much to explain to you.

Kenshin sat down on a log and folded his arms across his chest.

"Our plans went horribly wrong that night, Himura. I had assigned a man to watch you and pick you up in the early afternoon to bring you into the station. There is a holding cell that we use for certain special occasions, but you went to the one place we couldn't follow, _that_ church."

"Why the church?" Kenshin interrupted.

Saitou held up a hand. "Let me finish first, but I'll give you this one. There is a treaty in place between our kind and theirs. This pack does not go near that place, and if you join us, you'll be held to that treaty too setting aside your personal history with a certain man of the cloth. The one who has acted as your sponsor."

"You want me to join your pack?"

Saitou narrowed his amber eyes as he puffed on his cigarette obviously not pleased with all the interruptions. "Yes, pup. Look, I want to be clear. It was not one of us that that did this to you, and I was honest with you at the police station. I wouldn't choose this existence for anyone other than myself, but although my pack does not actively recruit new blood, I won't pass up a stray that wanders by. You would be an asset to my pack, able to help me protect the weaker ones and hunt down those of our kind who prey on the humans. If you join with us, you will obey my commands as your alpha, and you will never kill another human unless your life is endangered."

"And if I don't want to…you'll what? Just leave me alone out here?"

"I will, but, others may come, the Yukishiros for instance. You killed one of theirs. They will not forget that although it may be some time before you are faced with their revenge. The last five years have not been kind to that family. They've lost many of their strongest exorcists, but Tomoe had a younger brother. You can bet that when he's old enough he'll want blood for his sister's death, and there is more. That first night, do you recall the other wolves?"

Kenshin nodded. He remembered another pack arriving and clashing with Saitou's. It had given him the opportunity to escape.

"After you went into the church, my man panicked and came racing back to report to me instead of staying put and tailing you should you come back out again. We lost you after that until you placed the distress call. When we arrived to come get you, the other pack was already moving in on the area. We don't know much about them except that they moved into the area eight months ago and look like they are deliberately trying to grow their numbers by turning the mad ones loose in an area and seeing if anyone comes through it the transformation all right. It's my belief that this pack was behind the incident that you and your girl stumbled upon and that they were there that night to pick you up."

"So why haven't you done anything about it?"

"It won't be easy to move against them. They outnumber us and we know little about their movements. Their leader keeps to the shadows and has never fought in the open," Saitou sneered obviously enraged. Kenshin did not understand Saitou's anger. It made sense to him from a hunter's perspective. A wolf hid in the shadows to better stalk his prey.

"I want you for in my pack because you would make us stronger. You are strong already, Kenshin, incredibly so for one as young as you are, but I'm guessing that you can be dangerously out of control. I was worried about your little sleepover last night with the girl."

"You knew about that?"

"We were in the area in case anything went down. The rain masked our scent from you and we were careful. Only one of us stood watch nearby. You would have sensed the whole pack."

Kenshin wasn't sure what he thought about being spied on, but he supposed it was comforting to know that Kaoru had not been in as much danger alone with him as he had thought. "So it's just about military strength?"

"No. This is not an easy time for you, Himura, and throughout all the long years that you'll live you will never forget what these first days were like. I've gone through this before. So has my wife and everyone else in my pack. We are a brotherhood. We look out for each other, and it would please us all if we were to be able to help another one of our brothers through this time."

Kenshin sat quietly before answering. "So what happens now, Saitou?"

The police chief snuffed out his cigarette on the stone and tossed the butt to the ground. "I want you to demonstrate a measure of trust by allowing one of my officers to escort Miss. Kamiya back to the city while you and I spend some quality time out here in the woods together. You need to learn how to be a wolf before you can learn to live with it as a man. I'm willing to share my experience with you if you are willing to follow me, Himura."

Kenshin bristled. "And if I refuse?"

Saitou stood up. At his full height he towered over the still seated Kenshin. "Then I withdraw my offer. You are either a member of my pack and that means you trust your pack brothers or you're a lone wolf. If you join us, you will have to learn to trust us eventually so it might as well be now."

Kenshin stared at the ground. Trusting Saitou…it seemed absurd, but two months ago this whole sorry situation seemed like lunacy. _Don't do it. _Kenshin's instincts warned._ This is not a man to be trusted. He is as dark and twisted as you. __  
_

"I want you to consider something else, Himura. If it is revenge you want, I can give that to you. With me, we will hunt that other pack and put a stop to this abominable pursuit of theirs." Saitou's voice grew strong and threatening.

Kenshin looked up into the old wolf's eyes searching for something. The wolf inside of him wanted to rise to challenge the alpha and finish their duel. Kenshin wanted to fight. He wanted to win. He wanted to kill. He could not tell whether Saitou sensed it within him or not, but Kenshin was the first to break eye contact. Yes, he needed someone's help to learn how to control this thing inside of him. It might as well be Saitou."

Kenshin looked back down the hill to where Kaoru stood looking up at them. "And you promise that she'll be safe," he said.

"Safer than she would be with you. Go. Say what you need to say to convince her to go with my men peacefully. She doesn't strike me as the type who is all that trusting."

Kenshin smiled when he looked at her. With his sharpened vision he could see Kaoru's worried face and bright eyes clearly. She said that she trusted him and believed in him even after everything that had happened. "That's where you're wrong, Saitou."

The police chief had risen and removed his jacket and shirt. There were a great many scars across his chest. "Whatever, Himura. Do what you have to do and join me back up here." Saitou turned and walked off into the forest.

Kenshin walked back down the ridge to go bargain with Kaoru.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope that you enjoyed the chapter. If you have a moment, please leave me some feedback. Special thanks to Skenshingumi for you reviews the last few chapters.

Stay tuned for Chapter 12: A Cruel & Beautiful Smile.


	12. Chapter 12: A Cruel & Beautiful Smile

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

* * *

It was Kenshin's first night on patrol. A middle aged man named Hatori led the operation. Hatori, like many of the other wolves, worked with Saitou on the police force. It was an easy career choice. It allowed the wolves to stay close to one another and inherently fostered a pack mentally among the men and women on the force, human or otherwise.

Their third member was already there waiting. Gendo Ayanne was in his civilian clothes looking more like a lay-about punk rocker than a police office.

"Konbanwa*, Kenshin. Glad you could come out with us tonight. I was worried that Saitou was gonna keep you locked up forever." Gendo said.

"Konbanwa." Kenshin said in return. In truth, a part of Kenshin would have preferred it that way.

Over four months had eclipsed since Saitou had come to him in the woods with his invitation. During that time, Kenshin learned many things from Saitou or one of the other older wolves whom stood in as mentors while Saitou was called back to the city on police business. In that time, Kenshin was taught how to hunt with finesse, how to kill with grace, and how to communicate with the other wolves while they were in their transformed state. Kenshin had finally found his rhythm as a wolf and gotten comfortable with it that way.

That's when Saitou dropped the bombshell that they were all returning to the city. Immediately.

The others were all worried about Kenshin. Something was wrong. He was good. Strong. Fast. A natural hunter. Kenshin realized it too. He was too good at being a wolf. It was being human that was hard and getting harder. Kenshin didn't trust himself in public yet.

It was a strange life that Kenshin returned to. During the last three weeks he was made to stay with members of the pack, getting to know them and their wives where that applied. There were only a few women in the pack so families were the rarity among them. Strangely enough, Kenshin had not yet met Tokio, Saitou's mate. She was out of town visiting her sisters or so Saitou claimed. Every night Kenshin dined with a different member of the pack or watched a baseball game with the younger males. Kenshin, who had never had many friends, found himself suddenly saddled with a very demanding social life.

And it was driving his predatory nature nuts.

Kenshin wanted to run, to be free. He did not want to be cooped up in these small apartments 24/7, sleeping on couches and eating meat with a fork. He wasn't allowed to be alone or return to his own apartment. Worse yet…he had spent the last full moon, locked up in a windowless holding cell that was cramped and smelled absolutely foul.

Kenshin could see the logic behind the constant babysitting. He realized that these feelings and hungers weren't really his, but they were hard to quell.

So the opportunity to go on patrol with the other more seasoned wolves was welcomed. Even a chaperoned excursion was better than nothing.

"All right then, let's get this over with. I am missing 'Dancing With The Stars'," Gendo complained.

Hatori rolled his eyes. "Whatever. We all know that you record all that American crap to your DVR anyway."

"That's besides the point. I still have to get home to watch it." Gendo snarked back. "Kenshin, you don't know the drill yet, but new guy wears the dog suit."

"What?" Kenshin asked for clarification, hoping that it didn't mean what he thought it might. A muddled surge of emotion welled up in him. Hesitation. Worry. Excitement.

"You heard me. Shift. Our senses are keener in our wolf forms, and at night, anyone that might see us will just shrug it off as a police K-9 team."

_And nobody wonders why the police force is using a german sheperd that's the size of a small pony?_ Kenshin wondered, but there was a more important question to ask. "Do you think that's really such a good idea. What if…you know, I get carried away?"

Hatori put a hand on his shoulder. "You won't. We've schooled you well in that area, and Kenshin, I hate to say it, but I trust you to be more in control of yourself in your transformed state."

Kenshin sighed, but nodded. It was true. His control over his emotions lately had been tenuous at best and he felt everything in extremes when he was human. Kenshin's body could be forced into a shift at the slightest provocation if he wasn't careful. It was a problem he did not have to cope with as a wolf and everyone had noticed.

"And I don't want to hear any complaining from you, Kenshin" Gendo ordered although he didn't have much more rank than Kenshin. Gendo was also one of the younger wolves. "I had to wear the damn dog suit for three years before you came along."

"Watch it, you smart-mouthed punk." Hatori snapped. "or you'll be doing it again out of principle."

Everyone in the pack treated one another so familiarly; it was almost familial. That was something else that Kenshin had trouble getting used to. Family.

Gendo wasn't as bad as he seemed or at least no more of an ass than Sano was. Kenshin was probably just immune because of his prolonged exposure to Sanosuke. Gendo was actually five years older than Kenshin, but you would never know it. Once bitten, the aging process slowed to a crawl thanks to the regenerative powers of their new bodies.

"All right, all right. I'm just going to duck behind that for a bit of privacy." Kenshin said and pointed to a shed on the edge of the schoolyard before trotting off.

Alone, Kenshin removed his coat and the rest of his clothes and stalled for time by folding them neatly to the side. He hated this part, really hated this. The real pity was that for once he was feeling truly calm and perfectly in control of his body's desire to shift back into his wolf form. Although as soon as that thought passed through Kenshin's brain, a shudder ran up the muscles along his spine.

The transformation process was exceedingly painful and Kenshin was loathe to endure it when he didn't have to. Shifting seemed particularly hard on him. The older wolves had assured him that it got easier to bear with time and that he would even learn to control the progression of it, but Kenshin could smell their worry even while he writhed on the ground distracted by the blinding pain that came as his skeletal structure was forced to fracture and reforge into the man or the beast.

Kenshin drew in a deep breathe and exhaled slowly summoning his memories of the mountain, the smell of the dirt, and an image of the moonlight breaking through the pine trees. The pain slammed in to him and brought him to his knees. He cried out but his vocal cords were already twisting the sound into a feral howl. The transformation came on quickly these days and in moments a wolf picked himself up off the ground panting.

Kenshin shook his body, adjusting his ruffled russet fur. He looked over his shoulder and found Gendo staring at him with a balled fist on his hip and a backpack clenched in the other hand.

"Shit Kenshin, could you be any louder about it?" Gendo said and then moved to collect Kenshin's clothing in the bakcpack. He also removed what looked like a leash and collar from it.

The wolf-Kenshin growled. He was insulted by the comment and the appearance of the **dog** leash. He approached Gendo slowly at a menacing pace. Gendo backhanded him across the muzzle when he was within arms reach. "Stop it. You're being a drama queen, Kenshin."

The wolf-Kenshin yelped, but stood down when Gendo approached and attached the collar around his neck. However he did not allow Gendo to lead him peacefully back to Hatori and pulled on the chain whenever he sensed that it would unbalance his pack-mate mid-walk. "Dammit, Kenshin! It's dry kibble for you from now on!"

"Knock it off, both of you. Ayanne. Himura. We have a job to do. Damn, I'd really like stick it to Saitou for leaving me with this shitty detail. You young ones drive me crazy sometimes, you know that? Now come with me." Hatori said and took the leash from Gendo. He led the three of them to a corner of the schoolyard where an empty jungle-gym stood. Crime scene tape draped the branches of the dry, brittle bushes that grew around the perimeter of the schoolyard and separated it from an overgrown area of woods, weeds, and bramble.

As they neared Kenshin began to smell the blood. It was old, but strong enough to tantalize his over-active senses.

"The attack happened near here this afternoon. The first victim was a small child, eight-years-old. He was playing right here when he was grabbed and dragged into the brush. No one saw the animal, but his playmates reported hearing noises of what sounded like dogs, plural." Hatori explained. "His teacher rushed in to investigate."

Kenshin had picked up the scent at the point from which the child was dragged from the playground and into the bushes. He lead his companions into the overgrowth and found a large area of turned dirt that smelled even more strongly of blood. There were many human scents here too, probably the investigators who had found the body. They had tried to clean the area after the body was removed, but the smells still lingered. Kenshin could also smell unfamiliar wolves. Three of them.

"The child went into shock and died almost immediately. They were not careful with their kill either." Hatori said. His voice was tight with concealed anger.

"A closed casket situation?" Gendo asked.

"Yes. The school teacher survived with some shallow bite wounds, but…you know how that goes sometimes. It doesn't seem to be taking. She'll be dead before the next full moon."

"This wasn't another accident or rabid wolf that was turned loose on the public. The next full moon is two weeks away. These had to be fully realized wolves who knew what they were doing." Gendo pointed out.

Kenshin sniffed the area, trying to combat his wolf-nature and make sense of the scene with a human's mind for creative detective work. The human child had been a sloppy kill and they had gotten carried away with the carnage. It was a mistake that Kenshin himself was prone to making so maybe they were young like him.

The third wolf was different. It had not involved itself in the child's messy death.

Kenshin found deep gouges in the dirt that he assumed were the result of an adult body being dragged across the cold ground. The third wolf had intentionally kept the school teacher from getting involved with the younger wolves whom would have almost certainly killed her too. It showed purposeful thought and reason.

"So Himura, can you track them?"

Kenshin huffed in affirmation and picked up the trail of the third wolf whom he presumed had been the leader.

He led the hunting party through the woods pausing when the scent grew suddenly dull. Kenshin had had enough practice tracking his instructors through the mountains to recognize the change for what it really was. The wolf must have shifted back into his human form; however, the other two animals remained in their transformed states.

Shortly after that, Kenshin led the group out of the overgrowth to a parking lot behind a nondescript warehouse. The scents circled around a particular area near a large oil spot on the pavement, but beyond that the trail went dead. Kenshin sat down with his job done and waited for orders.

"That's it then?" Hatori said. "God, that doesn't give us much to work with."

"I'll come back tomorrow in uniform and start asking around. Maybe someone on the day-shift will remember seeing a strange van hanging around here." Gendo said.

Kenshin was trying to pay attention, but it was boring. The wolves were long gone; there was nothing to hunt here.

A gust of wintery wind rose from the south and ruffled his fur. It gave him pause. There was a familiar scent on the wind. Kenshin turned upwind and growled in warning. He smelled one or more of the enemy wolves and it was fresh.

A trash can skittered across the parking lot as two small wolves, one gray and one brown, came out into the open and charged. Hatori dropped the leash and reached for his gun while Kenshin rushed forward. Kenshin collided with the gray wolf, the faster of the two and got a good hold of the grey wolf's neck. He deftly wrestled the weaker opponent to the ground, but then the second wolf was on him in moments snapping and clawing at him in reckless abandon. Kenshin bucked and rolled trying to throw the second attacker from his back. The distraction allowed his original prey to crawl away, get back on his feet, and join the attack. Fangs broke through his skin and Kenshin took a bad blow to his right shoulder.

Shots were fired and the grey wolf yelped when he was hit by a silver bullet in his thigh.

During all this, Gendo had shifted and arrived to help pull the second wolf off of Kenshin. With his blood pumping Kenshin turned to finish this fight since Gendo was being so obliging in restraining his prey. Kenshin found the throat of the brown wolf easily and tore into the vulnerable flesh. The enemy wolf's death knell was cut short as his blood burbled up through the wound. Gendo head-butted Kenshin catching him in the eye. Kenshin roared and pawed at his gore covered maw.

"Dammit, Himura! Stand down! We need to bring one of these pups in for questioning!" Hatori yelled.

The wolf-Kenshin glared at Hatori and Gendo. A hunter killed when he was challenged. That was the way of it. He did not like being reproached for doing what he did well, but Kenshin thought that he maybe understood. He had done it again. Taken the kill when he should have held back for human reasons.

Gendo was approaching the gray wolf whom had backed himself into a corner. The wolf whimpered like a frightened house pet and limped on the leg that had been shot. Kenshin could smell burning flesh and rot from the wound.

The wind picked up again and Kenshin heard laughter. Kenshin raised his large head and saw a young man standing naked on the tin roof of the warehouse. The young man was exceptionally beautiful. He had long purple hair that was about the same length as Kenshin's was when in his human form.

"I actually thought that the boy did quite well," the young man said, "but then again, your sort just don't known how to have fun."

The young man met Kenshin's eyes directly. "Hello there, handsome," he smiled almost sweetly. "My name is Kamatari. Do you want to play?" And then he shifted.

The man kept smiling through the transformation despite the pain that Kenshin knew he must be enduring and never once cried out. The speed and fluidity at which his body transformed from man to beast was almost frightening. Hatori had not gotten one shot off before a wolf leapt from the roof.

Gendo moved to intercept, but the wolf-Kamatari shot left and deftly avoided him. The wolf crashed into Kenshin and Kamatari's claws opened the wound on Kenshin's shoulder further.

Kenshin growled and twisted trying to gain dominance in the fight, but whenever his jaws snapped shut he found that there was nothing in them but air. His opponent was too quick and nimble and Kenshin was injured. He had lost a lot of blood, more than his regenerative abilities could keep up with, and it was slowing him down.

Pain shot up Kenshin's leg as the Kamatari's powerful jaws clamped down on Kenshin's hind leg. Kenshin howled as he was unbalanced and dragged across the pavement.

A car horn honked and Kamatari let go of Kenshin's leg. A van sat in the parking lot with its engines revved. Kenshin shied from the bright halogen lights and allowed the two wolves to escape.

Hatori was calling in a vin number as the van sped off. Gendo chased after it and Kenshin tried to follow. He didn't get far; however, and collapsed instead.

"Himura." Hatori ran up to him and knelt besides him. "Shift back. Your wounds will heal up quicker."

Kenshin growled. He wanted to go after Gendo and get some payback in on that Kamatari. His body was healing on its own now. He just needed a little more time.

"That's an order, Himura. Don't make me have to beat it into you. I think you've had enough tonight."

Kenshin did as he was asked. The process was even more taxing than usual as his body closed up his wounds during the process of shifting, Kenshin was left exhausted at the end of it. After he changed back into his clothes, he joined Hatori who was busy inspecting the corpse.

"It was a clean kill at least, Kenshin. There was no wasted effort and no cruelty in it, but you did it again. When you are given an order to run your prey down and not kill it, you obey. You've got to remember that. Somehow, you've got to remember it. I'm calling the chief."

Kenshin grimaced. It was bad enough that it ended like this **again**, but now the old wolf was going to get involved. Kenshin wished he could be left to his own self-loathing instead of the group lecture, but that was not how the pack operated.

_I shouldn't have to suffer this. I am a wolf_, his predatory nature argued, but Kenshin drew in a deep breathe and closed his mind to it.

"Now go over there and rest until the others get here. I can see that you're tired now, Kenshin, but it won't be too long before the smell of blood starts to get you again, I wager."

* * *

Translation Note

*Konbanwa - Good evening

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. As always, please leave me some feedback.

And I'm sorry for the delay. I've ran into a big problem in my outline, namely THE PLOT. Oh gods. With the origin story now wrapped up (Kenshin is a wolf and finally among Saitou's pack) it was time to finally contend with the larger plot. However, the rough sketch that I had originally drafted in 2005 was pretty flawed. In the end, I don't think that it would for have made for a very good fanfic so I've been trying to write myself out of the woods.

I've got a solid direction to pursue now that I'm really excited about writing about. Lots of blood. A lot more parallels to the original story. Lots more intrigue, and ANGST ANGST ANGST. But no vampires now, sorry. I hope I don't lose followers for that.

Stay tuned for the next chapter: Juvenile Record. If you haven't guessed it, a big reveal is coming up. Huzzah!


	13. Chapter 13: Juvenile Record

Author's Note: Special thanks to avillahe, acceba regina, kuronoko Tsubame, acc2787, and Eternal Love's Eclipse for your reviews last chapter. I really appreciate the feedback.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 13: Juvenile Record**

When Saitou arrived, it was clear that he was furious. He consulted with Tommy besides his police cruiser. The sound of the running engine disguised their conversation to Kenshin's sensitive hearing. When they were done, Saitou held open the door to the backseat and stared at Kenshin pointedly.

Kenshin started to climb into the car when Saitou grabbed him by the neck and slammed his face into the metal chassis of the cruiser. Kenshin howled and was pitched into the backseat like a rag doll by Saitou's strong grip.

Kenshin thrashed and convulsed on the seat. Blood ran from the broken bridge of his nose. Kenshin snapped it back into place so the cartilage could begin to knit itself back together. He was dangerously close to shifting except for that his body and strength were exhausted after healing his wounds from the fight earlier. The door was slammed shut behind him, and Saitou climbed into the front seat.

"You better not shift and wreck the upholstery back there, or I swear I'll put a silver bullet in your leg." The police chief warned and grew quiet.

Saitou did not start in on him immediately, but the stillness between them said enough.

Kenshin struggled in the backseat to focus his breathing and banish the fire that surged up within him. The quiet gave him the time to get it together and bury the anger in the back of his rational mind. This was happening because of something that he, Kenshin, as a wolf had done. Focusing on the guilt he harbored kept him human enough to remain in control.

Finally, Saitou spoke. "Not a single lead. Not a single wiff of them since the night that you were made except for the bodies that have turned up in the morgue over the past month. Then you three just happen to run into a couple of troublemakers too far from their pack call for help, and you kill one of the fucking witnesses!"

"I'm sorry," Kenshin said.

"Well that does us all a lot of good. Doesn't it, Himura?" The cruiser sped up as Saitou's anger mounted. "This isn't working. You must realize that by now, boy."

Kenshin looked up and caught Saitou's amber-eyed gaze in the rear view mirror. Kenshin felt ashamed, knowing that Saitou was referencing the larger problem of at hand. "But **why** is this happening to me? I know it's not supposed to be like this. I can feel that," Kenshin said. "The other's don't have any answers, but I know that I'm struggling harder than any of them did."

"Hah! That's part of of the problem, right there. _Why me?" _Saitou mocked in a high pitched voice._ "_Since the very beginning you've done nothing but wallow in self-pity, Himura. You still think you're cursed so you fight the changes." The cruiser took a sharp turn, throwing Kenshin against the side door.

"Oooof!" Kenshin grunted and glared back at Saitou.

"Try and deny that you wouldn't miss running in the moonlight with your muzzle to the wind or that you don't secretly enjoy the fury inside you when your blood boils. Go ahead. Try it. Could you walk away from the speed and power that you retain in your human body now? You'd miss it as much as you miss those tender kisses from that girl of yours. The ones that go mad don't have that choice anymore. Learn to embrace that pain for what it is, Himura. Realize that it's the trade off for your ability to choose. So just accept it and then master it. Then we can worry about fixing the rest of the problem."

"What do you mean?" Kenshin asked.

Saitou did not answer him immediately. "It was different for you…growing up I mean."

Kenshin sat back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah. So? You already know all the details." They had been down this road before and he had made it perfectly clear that he didn't want to talk about it with Saitou.

"Oh yes…I know _all _the details." Saitou growled.

"Then you know what he did to my mother."

"**Don't **take that tone with me." Saitou chastised. "A child doesn't _murder _his father and come through that all right. What you did was brutal and not unlike the tendencies you are exhibiting now."

"I wanted to protect her."

"Maybe in the beginning, but it became something more while you were hitting him with that bat."

"He was a monster!"

"And you're his son!" Saitou snapped silencing Kenshin.

Kenshin looked out the window and refused Saitou the pleasure of seeing how those words pained him. It was a thought he himself had carried inside him for many years even before all of this began to happen. Had it really been monstrous? Contrary to his defensive nature with Saitou, Kenshin was more conflicted about it than the front the put up. At thirteen he had killed a man, the man who was his biological father, but a man who had been consumed by rage and drink. It eventually resulted in his mother's death.

Of course remembering those early days inevitably led to thoughts of his former master. Father Hiko had known his mother through the parish. Inexplicably the priest had managed to convince the authorities to release a frightened and angry child who had confessed to the brutal murder of his own father to the diocese after Kenshin's mother and sole surviving guardian had passed away in the ICU three days later.

Father Hiko had never offered Kenshin forgiveness although as a young boy he had sought it from his guardian a couple times. Instead, Hiko had imparted to him control and a calmness to carry on despite the mess that he had made of his life. The memories were so dear that it hurt.

The cruiser suddenly turned down a familiar road. Kenshin couldn't believe it. His favorite take-out restaurant was open and booming with business that night. Saitou was taking him home.

"Are you giving up on me?" Kenshin asked, worried that Saitou was ready to cut him loose because of Kenshin's failure to assimilate into the pack.

"No, but we are going to try a new approach. I had hoped that the brotherhood that the pack offered would soothe the bitterness that your predatory nature is feeding off of, but it has not. I've seen how you distance yourself from them, and worse is your constant fighting the with young ones for authority. That's not how one lives in a pack, Himura. Only the alpha operates that way, and you are by no means ready to challenge me, pup."

Kenshin grimaced and glared. Saitou was right; he could best Kenshin easily in a fight. Kenshin was frequently infuriated by this in his wolf form, because although they were on similar terms in speed and strength, Saitou had the finesse of an expert hunter to draw from. It galled the wolf in him, but it couldn't be denied.

This shouldn't have mattered to Kenshin-the-human. He didn't even want to take Saitou's place in the pack, but the frequency with which Saitou chose to remind him of his flaws and inexperience was certainly beyond annoying. In this mutual distaste for the police chief, Kenshin's duplicitous nature found a tenuous balance.

"I can sense your injured pride. You reek of it as wolf, but increasingly when you're human now. You're losing this battle, Himura." Saitou said with eerie accuracy.

The car stopped in front of the apartment building. Saitou cut the engine but did not unlock the cruiser door. Despite being trapped in the cruiser with Saitou, Kenshin felt his dark mood lifting at the familiar sight of home.

"I bring all this up tonight for a reason, Himura. I know you don't like talking about the past, but we can't ignore it any longer. A hunter is a hunter, he can never set aside that part of his heart once he has experienced the thrill of it. Unfortunately, you've lived a harder life than most. You experienced the triumph of running down your prey as a human and I suspect that you enjoyed some part of it which has compounded the problem that _we _have here." Saitou said. "As I said earlier, a boy does not go through what you did unchanged, but you grew up into fairly moral if somewhat dull teenager. Somehow you managed to come through it once before so maybe what you need right now is a dose of the familiar."

"Just like that? I'm supposed to be _normal?" _Kenshin asked incredulous.

"No. Not quite. You aren't to leave this neighborhood and of course you won't be returning to school.

Kenshin grunted hating the reminder. Saitou had forced him to sign the withdrawl papers a few weeks ago. It wasn't that he missed the classes, but this would have been his senior year. It was supposed to be one of those landmark years in one's life. He missed Sano, but most of all...

Kenshin shook his head. He didn't need to be around people right now especially not _her._

Saitou got out of the cruiser and opened the door to let him out. "Don't contact your old friends, but I think you know that would be dangerous anyway. Don't let them in if they come to your door. You'll have to be cold, but it's better in the long run."

Kenshin frowned. With all the restricts he didn't see how this was going to improve his situation. "How is any of this going to help me? I can't live a normal life here."

"Would you rather be sleeping on Gendo's sofa and watching those stupid American reality shows with him. How's that for normal?"

"No." Kenshin replied with a wince.

"That's what I thought." Saitou added sternly and removed an envelope from his jacket. "Here's some money for the back rent that you owe and some extra for groceries. Don't spend it all in one place. The pack is keeping you set up on policemens' salaries remember. We'll help where we can until you can be trusted enough with a real job since I don't think you should be counting on your sponsor's support anymore."

"Thank you." Kenshin said feeling both grateful to the pack and ashamed of himself for being such a burden. "You still haven't told me what the deal is between you and the church."

Saitou's eyes narrowed in anger. This was a point of frequent contention between them. "No, I haven't. When you decide to get over yourself and join this pack in earnest, then you get know all it's history. It's enough that he and his Fratelli have agreed to leave you to us. For now, all you need to understand is to stay away from the church. Do NOT contact him, Himura. Is that understood?"

Kenshin frowned fighting the urge to be snappish. "Yes, sir."

"This isn't a permanent situation, Himura, so don't get too comfortable. Take this time to do some soul searching and figure out if you can come to terms with the memories that got you through this the last time. You're relieved from patrol until I say otherwise." Saitou said and climbed back into the drivers seat. "I'll try and spare an officer to stop by and check on you daily, but we'll all be working overtime to afford the extra rent that you've saddled us with. Be careful with that money we gave you."

"I will," Kenshin said and he meant it. He appreciated their generosity.

Saitou said nothing more and sped off leaving a short skid mark on the asphalt.

Kenshin turned and began to climb the stairs. He did not have keys on him, but with his improved strength it was easy to pop the lock on the aging door handle. He would repair the damage in the morning, but for now Kenshin slipped the interior chain across the doorway.

He did not turn on any lights and frankly didn't need to. The artificial light pouring through the blinds from the exterior lights on the landing was enough for his wolf eyes. His studio looked the same. Cleaner than he expected, but he suspected Kaoru's hand in that. Her scent still lingered in the apartment. It was faint and not very fresh. He hoped that meant that she had stopped waiting for him like he had asked her to when they had parted ways in the mountains. He hoped she was happy, and maybe even a little too distracted to be thinking of him. Knowing Kaoru she'd be drowning in work for the student council, Kendo club, and let's not forget about the exit exams.

Unfortunately, his return might cause some complications if she found out that he was back in town. In return for her word, Kaoru had placed a conditional on their agreement that when he came back, he would call.

He removed his shoes at the door and laid down on his bed. The comforter was familiar and warm, but it smelled strongly of Kaoru.

She must have slept here, he realized. Kenshin buried his face into the fabric and drank deeply of her special scent. She didn't yet realize what he felt for her. How strongly he felt for her, and that was why he'd be breaking his promise.

_Kaoru_

Kenshin didn't want her to **ever **have to understand it either. The thought was both embarrassing and frightening. It would mean revealing to her that _both _sides of his nature now hungered to have her near which was something that Kenshin was still struggling to puzzle out and accept. Something had changed after the mountains.

His body shuddered. Kenshin quickly rolled to his feet and walked across the room into the kitchen area for a glass of water. He returned with a trash bag and quickly stripped the bed of its linens. On top of the repairs to his door it looked like he would be doing laundry tomorrow too. It was funny how quickly chores could start to accumulate.

Her smell was still there when he lay back down onto the bare mattress, but it was not as strong. Despite this sensory distraction, Kenshin was able to fall asleep in his own bed at long last.

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Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please take a moment to review.

Up next, Chapter 14: Into the Lion's Den


	14. Chapter 14: Into the Lion's Den

Author's Note: Here's a small update for you. This week we finally get a good look at the Shadow Pack. Enjoy!

Thanks for the review last chapter Skenshigumi. The revelation about Kenshin's father had been teased prior to this, but never stated flat out before.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

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**Chapter 14: Into the Lion's Den**

"Tadaima" Kamatari cooed at the young man who worked as their receptionist at the "motel" and rang the silver bell that sat on the counter between them.

The man looked at her with a measure of scorn that was positively infuriating.

"Oh come on, sugar." She attempted again. "When a lady says hello, you should return the courtesy. You might find that it suits you." What right did a penniless vagrant have to be so choosy?

The man had the audacity to roll his eyes. How dare he! Kamatari burned in anger. This bum had been homeless before being recruited to this gig! Up until a month ago he had smelled like old shoe and probably only had thirty-five cents to his name! He had smiled sweetly enough then.

One month was all it took apparently for him to figure things out.

Kamatari's smile turned cruel as she leaned across the counter. "Okay sugar, if that's how you want to play. You just be careful, you hear? A face like that shouldn't get scratched up."

The man shifted uneasily on his chair no longer as sure of himself. Oh yes, a month was all it took to figure things out indeed. By now he would know all about the wolves that lived here in this shit hole and why the no-vacancy sign was never shut off despite the fact that over half of the rooms remained unoccupied. He must have been warned about her by one of the loud-mouthed new recruits. Those damn gossips would have told him all about their lieutenant Kamatari who was more than just a woman and a wolf.

And if she every found out which one of them it was who had poisoned this human against her, she would rip off one of their ears. To hell with what Soujiro might say. These brats of his were next to useless.

"You have a message, miss." The man said and to his credit, his voice did not tremble. He slid a piece of paper across the counter.

Kamatari picked up the note and growled at Soujiro's near perfect handwriting.

_Kamatari, our lord wishes to hear your report in person when you return._

That the order had come from Soujiro and not Lord Shishio himself annoyed Kamatari. The young upstart was getting too powerful here at home base while Kamatari was busy in the field where the real work was.

Kamatari crumpled the note in her hand and dropped it onto the floor. "Ooops." She said staring directly at the receptionist. "It looks like I have to go, and you have some garbage to pick up. I wish that it could have been otherwise, love."

Kamatari sauntered off in the wrong direction with her hips swaying in the loosely fitted jeans that had been stashed in the van for her when the evac team came to pick her up at the warehouse. If she was going to be seeing Lord Shishio tonight, she wanted to wear something that made her feel a bit more feminine.

…

Soujiro was waiting for her when she arrived wearing a deep red sundress and strappy sandals despite the season. Two guards were usually posted outside their master's quarters; however, when Soujiro was on guard duty only one was required.

"You look nice, Kamatari." He said politely enough, but nothing that Soujiro said was to be trusted _especially_ when he was being polite. "I hope that didn't take too long to put together."

"What? Oh this old thing," Kamatari said and twirled around to show off the amazing fit of the dress. "I just grabbed it off the floor. It took a matter of minutes." In truth it had taken her thirty minutes to get cleaned up and ready.

Soujiro continued to smile and held the door open for Kamatari.

Kamatari walked right in with her usual attitude. She wrinkled her noise when she caught the scent of Yumi, her lord's disgusting human consort, but fortunately the nitwit wasn't in attendance that evening.

As usual, Shishio sat in the darkest corner of the room with a class of red wine in his hand. His silhouette was relaxed, but his body radiated heat and command.

"My lord, interesting things to report..."

"I should think." Shishio interrupted coldy, "considering you lost one of our recruits."

"Oh Watanabe?" Kamatari trilled unruffled by her lord's displeasure. "Losing him was hardly a loss at all. His mind was so far gone he couldn't even shift into his human form any longer. Honestly, the training these young ones are receiving here at the base needs to be…"

Shishio raised his burned and scarred hand silencing Kamatari.

"You may dispense with the manipulations, Kamatari. I am quite please with Soujiro's work here. Now would you care to explain, why you lost Watanabe? You mission was intelligence only. Why did you engage the enemy?"

Kamatari pouted but lifted her chin with pride despite the rebuke. She knew that she was in possession of information that would turn this audience around and win back her lord's interest. "We ran into him tonight, Saitou's stray. I was gathering intelligence of a different sort."

Shishio lowered his hand and leaned forward with interest. "And what do you have to report?"

"They have their hands full with that one. He shows considerable promise as a fighter but I sense that the wolf is winning. He did not even hesitate to take out Watanabe. We might not have long to make use of him."

Shishio shook his head. "No. I believe that Saitou less hasty than that. He won't risk losing this one like we've lost some of ours." Her lord turned a rare and withering glare on Soujiro who bowed his head apologetically. "However, there is truth in that time is of the essence. We need to get to him before the boy does start figuring things out. Do you have a name?"

"Himura. That's all I'm afraid."

"Good. It's a start." Shishio considered his glass for a moment before draining the rest of the wine and he set the glass aside. In a fluid movement Shishio rose to his feet; his burned and broken skin was pulled tightly across his muscles while he stretched with the grace of a lion. "Soujiro, come walk with me. I want to check in on the new members that Kamatari picked up last moon, and we have much to discuss about how you'll conduct yourself in the field . Kamatari, as of his moment consider yourself relieved of duty from all active operations. Soujiro commands the recruits now."

Kamatari blanched. "B-but my lord?" She stuttered. "If this is about Watanabe, please forgive my failure! I can still serve!"

Soujiro smiled at Kamatari. She wanted to smack him, the arrogant prick, but before Kamatari had the opportunity to start anything, Shishio stepped forward and placed a rough hand on her shoulder.

"Kamatari. I have another task for you, one that I believe may require a woman's delicate touch." He said with a small grin.

Kamatari blushed to hear him talk about her in that way. This was why she loved this man. He was the only who ever saw her as she wanted to be seen. "Anything, my lord."

"I want you to you find Himura and make him falter. We need to create dissent among Saitou's pack or the others will not be able to sweep him away."

Kamatari nodded. "As you wish, Lord Shishio."

Shishio left with his lapdog Soujiro trailing behind while Kamatari helped herself to a glass wine from her lord's collection. She giggled into her cup. This new assignment was going to be fun.

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Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Get ready for another tough chapter for poor Kenshin, Chapter 15: Father.


	15. Chapter 15: Father

Author's Note: I apologize, I realized that in chapter 13, I used a word and did not provide a translation note. _Fratelli_ is Latin for brothers, and it's important because it's about to come up again.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters. Please enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 15: Father**

It was Sunday and thus the worst day of the week to do laundry, but Kenshin didn't have any other choice. He had to get rid of Kaoru's scent before he lost it. But as chaotic as it was at the Laundromat, the manual labor proved to be a solid distraction. The simplicity of sorting and folding his laundry was so mundane that it was laughable. Furthermore, no one noticed how his hands shook as he pressed the sunshine scented sheets into the double washers. Everyone was too absorbed by their own worries and labors to notice him. And best yet, Kenshin could not sense any wolves in the area. He was finally, truly, alone.

As he returned to his apartment with a duffel bag over his shoulder and another under one arm, he was calm and at peace. He felt almost human again. The wolf in him seemed to have no interest in such mundane human occupations. That knot of aggression that usually burned so brightly had retreated to the back of his mind.

As Kenshin climbed the stairs to his second story apartment, he could hear a church bell releasing the worshipers from their mid-morning mass. Even at this distance the carol of the bell was beautiful and rich. It pained him momentarily to think of those familiar days, but there was work to be done here at home. He pushed his way through the broken doorway and found himself confronted by the very man of his thoughts.

Kenshin dropped the duffle bags. "Father Hiko…"

The priest sat in an arm chair and studied Kenshin with his hands folded in front of his mouth. "You're back," Hiko said simply without warmth or worry in his voice. "Close the door before someone sees me and come closer, _boy_."

Kenshin swallowed and did as he was bade. Ordinarily, the wolf in him would have risen to in challenge at such a direct order, but his body had grown numb the moment he laid eyes on Hiko.

As he turned his back to the priest, Kenshin heard Hiko rise and pick up something that must have been hidden behind the chair and then Kenshin heard the metallic click of a sword.

_Run_. His instincts spoke to him softly, but they were not in control of him right now. Kenshin stubbornly spun around to face Hiko, but Hiko had already rushed forward moving at a speed which was _inhuman_.

A sheathed blade slammed into Kenshin's middle with force enough to double him over. Hiko stepped forward and swept one of Kenshin's legs out from under him and Kenshin dropped to all fours.

Roused out of his complacency, Kenshin's predatory nature surged to dominance and he roared in anger. Hiko interrupted with a swift and powerful kick to his abdomen; the force of it pitched Kenshin to his back towards the middle of the room. The priest brought a heavy boot down onto Kenshin's chest and pinned him to the floor. There were a couple of load cracks as several ribs broke. Kenshin howled in agony and grasped Hiko's leg trying to push the weight off of him, but he found that he could not topple the priest even using all his super-human strength.

_What was happening here? What is he? _Kenshin thought. He was panting heavily and his damaged body was aching to shift in order to heal. Kenshin fought desperately to hold back the change. If he shifted now Hiko could be injured just like Tomoe. He couldn't let that happen. Kenshin had sworn that he wouldn't hurt anyone like that ever again.

Hiko stood over him stoic and stern. He raised his sword and unsheathed it fully. Hiko brought the polished blade down in a slow and gentle manner. The priest held the sword edge centimeters away from Kenshin's skin. "Don't move; there is silver folded into this steel. It will hurt you severely if you nick yourself on account of your struggling, my idiot apprentice."

Kenshin's body recoiled from the poisonous blade. It smelled of silver and blood. Wolf blood. "Are you really going kill me, master?"Kenshin asked not intending to sound threatening but his voice was changed. It took took on a deeper tone as he was forced to speak through his animalistic nature. It was a miracle that he had not shifted yet, but his own sense of shame was greater than his baser instincts in this moment. Kenshin had wanted to see his former master again, but not like this. Never like this. Kenshin was conscious of the fever in his skin and knew that his eyes must burn amber as he looked up at Hiko. Kenshin felt feral and dirty before him.

"Don't take that tone with me, _dog_" Hiko warned and applied more pressure through his foot to Kenshin's broken but healing chest.

Kenshin grunted and bit through his lip to keep from crying out. The taste of his own blood broke something in him and he suddenly smiled. Hiko stopped grinding his boot into Kenshin's ribs and removed it. He kept the sword hovering next to Kenshin's throat, but allowed the red head to prop himself up on his elbow and roll onto his side.

Kenshin watched his sponsor warily through the eyes of a predator and growled at him unabashed.

Hiko's shoulders slumped forward and his expression changed to one of genuine sadness. "It's true then. I had to be sure; you confused me when I first saw you. Christ, I never wanted to see this in you, Kenshin." Hiko said and withdrew his sword. "Go sit in that chair." With his blade, Hiko pointed at the chair that he had previously occupied. "And get a hold of yourself. I'm not going to kill you, but don't even think about trying anything with me, moron. I think you've seen by now that I can take whatever you can throw at me."

Kenshin stood up slowly and did as was asked. His anger was only just barely kept in check, but he needed a few more moments to heal anyway before testing the limits of former master. He plopped down into the chair and forced himself to wipe the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand instead of licking his lips.

Hiko meanwhile sheathed his sword and leaned it against the sofa that sat opposite Kenshin. He walked a way from the weapon and into the kitchen area where he poured two glasses of tap water.

Kenshin eyed the weapon and then looked at the unarmed priest. They were not passive thoughts that raced through his head. Hiko saw him looking, but his expression was unreadable. Kenshin rubbed his bruised and broken ribs reminding himself that he was not ready yet to try Hiko again, defenseless or no. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall.

And a question remained. _How_ had the priest had bested him so easil?. The speed at which he moved was unreal. Was this why Saitou had warned him to avoid his sponsor and the church? Kenshin wondered.

_No._ His rational self ordered and rebuked his misgivings. This man had been his savior, many times over in his adolescent life. Father Hiko had to be trusted and protected. His master was not to become prey.

When Kenshin's pulse slowed and his dual natures fell back into their tenuous balance, he opened his eyes and accepted the glass of water that Hiko held out to him. "Arigato," Kenshin said.

Hiko nodded and sat down across from Kenshin. "How did it happen?"

Kenshin sighed. "There was this girl," he began and proceeded to tell Hiko all about the night of the attack, his symptoms, meeting Saitou, and up to the point where he fled the confessional at the church, and there he stopped. It was too painful to recount the rest that had involved Tomoe and it aroused the wolf in him too strongly.

"That's it? Nothing else you'd like to confess? You've been gone a long time, Kenshin."

Kenshin glanced away in shame. He desperately wanted to confide in his sponsor and to trust him with this burden. It had been eating him up inside since the first full moon; however, the image of Hiko's open disdain as he'd stood over Kenshin with a blade to his neck was troubling. He couldn't tell Hiko about Tomoe, not yet. Not until Kenshin had some answers from his mentor. Hiko had already revealed that he had secrets of his own to keep. "Only a few months, I've been training with Saitou and the others in the mountains. Away from people." Kenshin said and drained the rest of his glass before setting it down on the carpet. "Now what about you? I think I deserve some answers too. How did you beat me?"

"Practice." Hiko said but he leaned forward and studied Kenshin. A thought seemed to occur to him. Cautiously the priest reached out his hand and took Kenshin's in his own. "You really don't know, do you?"

The sensation that Kenshin felt when Hiko touched his hand was alarming. Hiko's skin was hot, fevered like a wolf in the midst of his or her change, but that the aura priest exuded that was solid and unwavering. It made Kenshin feel skittish and unclean in his human form. As Kenshin could feel the urge to shift rise within him once again, Hiko broke off the physical contact. Kenshin pulled his hand back and flexed his fingers. His skin still tingled.

Hiko looked into Kenshin's eyes searching for something and sighed. "My God, what is that old wolf up to," he mumbled to himself.

"What…what are you?" Kenshin said a little freaked out. "Please tell me, master."

"Kenshin. I can no longer be your master. That's the first thing you have to understand. The second is that you've allied yourself with _that __man_. He is your master and your alpha now. It's his place to answer your questions."

"But he won't tell me anything! Saitou doesn't trust me, I'm…bad at this." Kenshin complained and gestured at his body. "And today that nearly got me killed after you walked in here. You were going to kill me if I had lost it, weren't you?"

Hiko leaned back and crossed his arms across his chest as he gave the matter some thought. "Fine. I'll tell you enough to keep you out of trouble. It's right that you should know who all the major players are, but I do this on two conditions. First, that you tell no one I was ever here. Secondly, that you will not ask me any questions. I will talk; you will listen and wait for Saitou to give you the rest of your answers. That's all I can do for you. This is dangerously close to breaking our policy of non-interference with his pack, but it's not safe for you to be poking around in certain places for answers. Agreed?"

Kenshin frowned but nodded.

"I am a solider and hunter of wolves and I am not alone, Kenshin." Hiko said matter-of-factly.

Kenshin exhaled slowly expecting as much.

"The church is our cover." The priest continued. "I must assume that Saitou has at least warned you that the church is a dangerous place and that is why you didn't come to me earlier. We kill any wolves we find with a few exceptions. We destroy the feral, but we also destroy the aware like yourself. Your kind cannot be trusted. The strength you have and venom you carry in your transformed state is too dangerous to the innocent. Wolves are unpredictable and too many accidents have happened already." Hiko leaned forward and placed his hand on top of the hilt of his sword. "I have killed many of your kind over the long years."

Kenshin bristled and rose to his feet. "Is that why you're here?"

Hiko stood up with his sheathed weapon still in his hand. The priest towered over Kenshin's small frame. "Moron, I've already told you that I didn't come here to kill you. Not today, not yet at least." Hiko whispered the last four words and walked away from Kenshin.

Kenshin's mentor stood at the door with his back turned to him. "I needed to see what had become of you for myself. When they told me…," Hiko couldn't finish his sentence. "We make certain allowances for Saitou's pack. They are strong because they are organized, and they don't prey on humans intentionally. I would lose many of my _fratelli _if we were to stand against them so it was decided that there would be a truce between us. You are safer with them, but that does not give you immunity. The younger members of our sect are itching for a battle with Saitou, and all they need is an excuse. This Shadow Pack business is ill-timed."

"What do you all know about the Shadow Pack?" Kenshin asked hopeful that he could perhaps wring a new lead from Hiko.

"You're forgetting yourself, _dog_. So far you've asked two question of me when you agreed to none." Hiko said angrily. "There is nothing that I'm free to share with one of Saitou's number," the priest sneered, "and you are _his_, Kenshin. You belong to it now; don't deny it. I know you must enjoy some part of it. How could you not? But you need to watch yourself, Kenshin, and guard your eyes. Never let one of our order see you like _that. _When you walked into the room today burdened by all that laundry and distracted by thoughts of fabric softener and lint, your eyes were the daff and dumb color of your former self. It confused me, and if it can throw me off your scent then it will work on others. Bury your hungers, Kenshin."

"I'm trying." Kenshin said. "Saitou is trying to teach-"

"Saitou will try to teach you to be a wolf," Hiko interrupted. "You'll be a wolf in control of all his facilities with the capacity for human reason, but you personality will fade in time and you won't be able to pass as human anymore. Some of your kind now how to change their eye color. They're the ones that manage to hang on to some part of their humanity, but unfortunately you don't have any options. I've done a terrible thing to you, Kenshin; I just never expected you to have such rotten luck."

Kenshin raised an eyebrow at Hiko and dared another question. "What have you done to me?"

"That is one question that I can answer as per our agreement." The priest's eyes went to the antique sword that sat in Kenshin's window. It had been a gift from Hiko to Kenshin when he had turned sixteen for demonstrating a competent mastery over swordsmanship. Hiko had been giving him lessons in order to teach him control and balance in the wake of his biological father's slaying. A horrible realization began to form. The Hiten Mitsurugi style had always stuck Kenshin as something of an oddity in that many of the moves did not seem practical in a fight…against a human opponent Kenshin realized quite suddenly. The pieces fell into place as Kenshin visualized the movements and techniques pitted against a wolf.

"No."Kenshin said in shock, but deep down he knew the truth. The Hiten Mitsurugi style was a style designed to kill wolves like himself. His stomach knotted up in revulsion.

Hiko seemed to sense the thought from Kenshin. He radiated guilt when he faced Kenshin. "You see now, don't you? I taught you certain things. Certain things that a wolf should not know. You could use that knowledge to kill my brothers. You're an important piece in this conflict, one of the major players. You have a right to know that much."

"I've given them more cause to fear Saitou." Kenshin realized.

"Yes. And there has been discussion that perhaps the Shadow Pack is just a farce; that it was no accident that _you _were turned."

Kenshin shook his head horrified. _NO! Has Saitou been lying to me this whole time? _He wondered. Kenshin had believed Saitou's when he said this had not been done by a member of his pack and that Saitou meant to help Kenshin hunt his vengeance. There was another alternative, however, that perhaps Hiko, as an exorcist and hunter, was lying to him now.

"Kenshin." Hiko said with uncharacteristic tenderness. "For what it's worth, I'm not entirely convinced that he was responsible. Saitou is arrogant and a prick, but I don't believe that he would jeopardize the safety of his pack in such a reckless manner by willfully turning you. You were my ward. You would have been protected by the truce without ever knowing of it."

Kenshin's clenched his hands into fists to beat back the sense of betrayal. One of these men was trying to use him. The wolf within Kenshin grumbled. The hunter was beginning to feel like the hunted and his enemies seemed to be everywhere.

"I do not say these things to turn you from your alpha. I know how you must want to obey him, but be clear-headed about this. Saitou will teach and project you, but he will want to use you and that could mean a great many of things for his pack. I just want you to know what you're getting into so you can protect yourself."

"You haven't told me what **_you are_**, Father, only what you do," Kenshin stated flatly, "which would be murder as I understand it."

Hiko noticeably twitched at Kenshin's accusation but quickly raised a wall of cold confidence between them. "I am the last major player that you should be warned about, Kenshin. I am a hunter and the strongest of my order, but there are others like me with...unique gifts."

Kenshin nodded. Hiko's strength and speed were incredible, equal to Saitou's when the police chief fought in his human form.

"I want to know that I never wanted it to come to this, not like this anyway. I had once hoped that you would be brought up and given the opportunity to serve with us in a lesser capacity than a full member of the brotherhood. Your fighting skills were good and you seemed to grow increasingly more capable of kindness the longer you remained in my care. But now…matters have changed. If you see me again, you should run. I've been forced out of retirement as of tomorrow."

Kenshin frowned. "You should have never have taken me in. You should have let them hauled me off to some juvenile detention center. I never wanted anything from you." He snapped. "You meddled and made me a target for them! I didn't want any of this, **Father**!"

"Maybe." The priest said calmly and did not acknowledge Kenshin's anger. "Or maybe it would have happened regardless. When I first met you, Kenshin, you were three steps from becoming an animal anyway. There is no telling what harm you might have done to yourself. Crime. Drugs. You might have given yourself to some darkness anyway. I don't regret that I took you in hand. We may yet discover that it was only an unhappy accident that this even happened to you in the first place. My only regret is that I will not be able to sit this one out between our two, possibly three worlds if it turns out that the Shadow Pack is real. Understand this: you are a child to me, Kenshin. Saitou is a child compared to me. I do not enjoy killing children, but the Shadow Pack must be driven into the open and destroyed whoever they are. This mandate extends to anyone who help them by thwarting our efforts and getting in our way."

"Get out." Kenshin ordered. He was done with this conversation. Would everyone he trusted betray him in the end? Kaoru's smiled flickered in his memories briefly.

"I'm sorry it has come to this. I truly am." Hiko opened the door and paused at the threshold. "Kenshin, one day you'll find out the whole truth about the brotherhood; try not to beat yourself up over it. Goodbye, my idiot apprentice." And with that he was gone.

Kenshin ran to the the door and slammed the chain back into place. Outside he could hear Hiko walking away with a strange metallic sound to his footsteps. Kenshin pressed his forehead against the door and began to shake.

All this time, he had never known. All his memories were built on lies. His first day of being normal and it was all going to hell.

Kenshin pushed off from the door and began removing articles of clothing as he walked away from the doorway. He was tired, too tired to fight. Pain slammed into his as his body shifted into his wolf form and for once, Kenshin hardly noticed.

Strangely, he felt only a cold calmness in his other form, but he was also tired. Too tired to run or look for a way out of this small room. As a wolf he curled up on the floor and considered the predicament Hiko had presented to him. It was his human heart that grieved fiercely, but fortunately as a wolf he could ignore that annoyance for now.

* * *

Author's Note: Seems like Shishio's plan to start a war between these to groups seems to be working doesn't it? :p I know that my decision to tweak the Hiten Mitsurugi style may not be the most popular, but it felt right for this universe. So please be gentle in your feedback. I'm confident that it is right for the story; you've just got to trust me on this one. We will be seeing more of the Hunters in the future.

Special thanks to Skenshigumi, Hittocere, Eternal Love's Eclipse, and Kuronoko Tsubame for your feedback. I really appreciate it guys. ^_^

Hittocere: Kamatari is still anatomically a man in this universe; however, since she identifies herself of as a woman, I use the feminine pronoun when writing in her perspective. There may be a few other characters who refer to her/him as a woman, but I'll make that call as they come up based on their personality traits. Also, thank you for your kind review. It gave me a real boost in confidence to hear that my writing appears more solid than it feels to me sometimes after a five year hiatus

Kuronoko Tsubame: Totally agree; Saiunkoku Monogatari rocks! I just really wish that the fandom were bigger. Everyone who ever loved Fushigi Yugi or Twelve Kingdoms ought to see that anime. I think they'd really, really enjoy it.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If so, please take a moment to leave a review.

**Next Chapter - Chapter 16: Hello Kitty**


	16. Chapter 16: Hello Kitty

Author's Note: My apologies everyone. I did not mean to go so long without an update. It has been a hectic month at work and my spring allergies are getting the better or me.

Special thanks to EternalLove'sEclipse, Skenshingumi, and acc2787 for your reviews last chapter.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

* * *

Kenshin had cleaned every inch of his apartment three times over. He had gone on countless long walks through his neighborhood and thrown himself into cooking, but nothing seem to distract or calm him. Someone was watching him, but who? Kenshin no longer knew. He felt cornered by Saitou…by Hiko…by the Shadow Pack.

So today he was treating himself to something as simple and normal as burger and fries to ease his anxiety.

Kenshin had not previously been a fan of condiments on his food, but it had become a necessity given his new dietary sensitivities. It helped to disguise the blandness of cooked meat, and flavorful food tasted **amazing** now. He was not talking about ketchup, oh no. Tthere were much better curries and mustards out there that could make a man melt. _Or a wolf anyway_, he reminded himself and then hesitated.

Saitou wanted him to seek a near balance between his natures. Hiko had warned him that he needed to stay as human as possible, but Kenshin could only see the wolf when he stared at his reflection these days. What was he to do? How did he stay true to _himself_? Kenshin barely knew what that meant anymore. Hiko's speculation that Kenshin might have destroyed himself long ago and given himself to some other vice or darkness without his interference bothered Kenshin. If his human half was so weak that even Hiko didn't believe in him, how was he going to survive the internal conflict that was ripping him apart inside.

Today his burger was drenched in a wasabi ginger mayo. Kenshin was messily tearing into with great gusto until a unique sense of pressure crept over him. He set his lunch down and reached for a napkin to clean his face with. _There was a wolf nearby._

Kenshin looked around the restaurant searching for a familiar face, but there was no one that he recognized. Although Saitou had said that he would try to send someone out daily to check-in on him, it appeared that no one was available for babysitting duty. It had been two full days since he had last seen one of Saitou's men although he did receive a few short phone calls from some of his elder pack mates in lieu of a physical visit. The pack was having to work extra hard to support Kenshin which was something he really needed to talk to Saitou about.

Kenshin took out his wallet and selected a twenty. It was far more than the cost of the meal, but he didn't have time to wait for change. His instincts were urging him to get moving, and he really didn't have to worry about frugality right now despite his orders from Saitou to respect the pack's money. Something strange was happening.

The 22nd of every month had been the day that money from the church would have ordinarily posted to his bank account when he was Hiko's ward. Those payments had been suspended in the months that Kenshin had been away after the attack; however, after Hiko's visit three days ago, they had resumed. Kenshin was not sure what to do about this development.

On the one hand, resources were dear and the pack did not need to spend time working overtime shifts at the station when they could be out hunting the Shadow Pack. One the other hand, Kenshin was unsure how much he could rely on his sponsor anymore. Hiko had said - quite blatantly in fact-that he had been given orders to kill Kenshin if the opportunity presented itself. So why were they supporting him financially? Obviously, this could be a trap set by the Hunters. Furthermore, Kenshin didn't see a way in which he could tell Saitou about the money without revealing to the police chief that Hiko had contacted him. He had already broken his promise to Saitou in seeing Hiko to begin with. If Kenshin confessed, he would also be breaking his promise to Hiko. Did he obey his mentor or his alpha? Was it better to break his money to one man or both?

Before Kenshin could rise and flee the scene, a dainty but firm hand fell onto his shoulder. "She must have been good," a woman's voice said, "that's an eight dollar tip you're leaving her, handsome."

Kenshin turned his amber eyes on her and frowned. The woman's purple hair and predatory eyes seemed familiar, and she was definitely the one that he had sensed. She smiled and shoved him back down into his seat with the strength that only a wolf possessed.

The woman pushed Kenshin's plate out of the way and sat herself on the edge of the table. She looked only a little older that Kenshin, but she was dressed more like a middle school girl in a tight pair of skinny jeans and pink baby doll tee from Sanrio. A round white cartoon cat winked at him from her chest. The outfit suited her lithe but underdeveloped body which was like that of a young girl before puberty.

"I don't believe we've met," Kenshin said politely, but there was no warmth in his voice.

"That's where you're wrong, darling." The woman leaned towards him such that their noses were almost touching. Disturbingly, Kenshin could smell blood on her breath. " I'm disappointed that you don't remember me after the fun we had the other night," she said and blew a kiss of air across his nose.

Recognition slammed into Kenshin as he breathed in her scent and he pulled away quickly. He couldn't believe he didn't realize it sooner. This woman was actually the young man who had attacked him on patrol last week. "You!" He said shocked.

"Yes me," she grinned impishly, "and my name is Kamatari. Don't forget it next time." The woman laughed and slid off the table. _She…or he rather_, took a seat in the booth opposite of Kenshin as the waitress arrived and asked if Kamatari might like anything to eat or drink.

"I'll take a Diet Coke on this boy's tab. I've got to watch this girlish figure," the young man said. The waitress looked to Kenshin for confirmation clearly aware of the awkwardness at the table. Kenshin did not look happy but he nodded his approval of the order. He didn't need the waitress hanging around over-hearing anything problematic for the wolves.

"What do you want," Kenshin asked irritably. He was also struggling to reconcile his memories from their fight in his wolf form with the feminine person sitting there with silver glitter dusting his eyelids.

"I just wanted to talk to you, Kenshin Himura." Kamatari said, pointedly annunciating every syllable of his name. "It took me a little while to find you, or I'd have come to you sooner, darling. We don't have the resources that you dogs on the police force have, but we make do."

"Stop calling me that." Kenshin ordered and placed the twenty on the table beneath his plate. "I think I ought to get going anyway."

_"Sit."_ Kamatari ordered as Kenshin started to get up. Her tone of voice grew feral. "Or I swear I'll rip that pretty little waitress into pieces just as soon as her shift ends tonight; I am not done talking to you."

Kenshin eyed Kamatari angrily and sat back down with a heavy thud. He took a sip from his glass of water to stifle the growl that was building in his throat.

The waitress arrived with Kamatari's Diet Coke and left quickly.

"Look, I just wanted you to know that we've noticed you, Himura. You were that good the other night, _sweetheart_," Kamatari said stressing the change in endearments. "Whether I convince you to join us or not, I'm really looking forward to our next match," he winked.

"So that's what you want. For me to join you?"

"Of course. You've not been won over by this pack business of Saitou's; I can smell it. I can't imagine that you enjoy being lectured, not a wolf like you. I bet you hated being told _no_ the other night when they ordered you to stand-down; I could sense the bloodlust in you when we fought. You wanted to tear me to pieces just like you did to poor…"

"You're wrong." Kenshin interrupted. Truthfully he did not want to know the name of the wolf that he had killed. It reminded him that they had all been human once. It was easier to think of the enemy as just another wolf. Kenshin wouldn't kill another human ever again. He swore it.

"Am I wrong? They can't help you, Himura. You must feel that by now. Most of them are haggard old men despite their appearances. You're a young blood. You're strong and ambitious," Kamatari said as he leaned across the table seductively and reached for Kenshin's hand, but Kenshin withdrew his hand from the table and held both of them in his lap folded into fists.

"We can help you, Himura."

"You want to help me?" Kenshin spat feeling a knot form in his stomach. "You're the ones that did this to me!"

"Oh? Is that what they're telling you? Maybe we are. Maybe we aren't. All I know is that the first _I _ever heard of you was on the night that you finally turned. I was told to go pick you up only after we eavesdropped on the 911 calls pouring in that night. Oh and nice work on that exorcist, bitch. The Yukishiros are a tough lot; it's rather impressive that you were able to defeat her in that state." Kamtari licked his top lip. "You know, I am quite taken with you, Kenshin. We all are in fact. But what do I know? I'm only in charge of all field operations and what-not."

"Shut. Up." Kenshin said. This interview was growing increasingly more unnerving. What game was Kamatari playing at?

Kamatari pulled back and put her hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, but let me just ask you this: on the night that you were made, who did you run into in the area where you were attacked? Since you and I have only just met, I would bet it must have been a cop if you saw anyone at all. Don't you think that's a little coincidental?"

Kenshin said nothing but curled his lip in a silent snarl.

"I can see that you need more time, Himura. Let me just call a car for you to take you home," Kamatari offered and reached into his back pocket. He held small flip phone in his left hand and instructed the phone to dial "Hajime" via voice command.

The phone was set to speaker for Kenshin's benefit, and it rang twice before Saitou's voice picked up on the other end. "Who is this," the police chief's gruff voice asked.

Kenshin bristled.

"That's not a question that I feel like answering right now, but I have something that belongs to you, Saitou-sama. I suggest that you send someone to come pick him at 25 Burgers because frankly I'm getting bored of our conversation here. Oh, and you should hurry. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with your stray yet, but a timely evac might be appropriate." There was no mistaking the threat in Kamatari's voice.

Kamatari snapped the phone shut and stood up. He hadn't even touched his soda. With an arrogant swagger he walked off and strode through swinging metal doors that lead to the kitchen.

Kenshin wondered whether he should follow or make a break for it out the front door. But before he even realized that he had made up his mind, Kenshin found that he had risen and was following after Kamatari ready for a fight. He walked through the kitchen and headed straight to the back door following Kamatari's scent. Luckily, the employees in the back steered clear of him. As limited as their senses were, humans were capable of detecting trouble when then saw it.

Once outside, Kenshin shut the heavy metal door behind him and moved away from it.

"Where are you, Kamatari!" Kenshin shouted, but the purple haired "woman" was nowhere in sight.

Kenshin drew in a deep breath searching for Kamatari's scent on the air, but it was faint and growing weaker. Unless he transformed, Kenshin could not follow Kamatari; however, Saitou or perhaps one of the other pack members was likely already on their way to pick him up. Was it wise to run off right now chasing after the Shadow Pack alone? Saitou might think he had been captured or had turned traitor. Kenshin knew should wait and report to his alpha, but it was so frustrating.

"Dammit." Kenshin cursed and bit his lip. The desire to fight only worsened. There was still the matter of payback which remained unsatisfied for the injuries he'd sustained in his first fight with Kamatari. Kenshin's injured pride as a wolf wore on his human restraint.

Several wooden produce crates sat stacked outside the restaurant. Kenshin shoved the pile and knocked them over needing some form of physical release. "Aaargh" he yelled and brought his fists up to his forehead.

Police sirens sounded in the distance, but passed on heading for some other call. Kenshin did not doubt, however, that another squad car would soon be showing up to collect him.

_How did Kamatari have Saitou's cell number? _Kenshin thought, remembering the casual air with which Kamatari had called Saitou. Kenshin growled sensing more deception.

"No," he told himself, mumbling aloud in public like a madman. The Shadow Pack was cunning that's why they escaped time-after-time without detection. If they could eavesdrop on 911 calls, they must have enough skill to find out a single phone number. But this ru- in with Kamatari and the lingering unease that Hiko had left him with had unsettled Kenshin even further.

Saitou wanted Kenshin to make his pack stronger. Hiko wanted to kill Kenshin and his kind. And now, the fucking Shadow Pack wanted to help him? How could his life spin anymore out-of-control?

Kenshin wasn't convinced that Kamatari could be trusted, but his faith in Saitou and Hiko wasn't exactly solid either at the moment.

Kenshin leaned against a dumpster and slid to the ground feeling weary. "Everyone. Everyone is out to use me in some way or another." He groaned.

Kenshin's chest tightened. He could feel the ache of his body's desire to shift coming on strongly while he wallowed in this dark mood. He shut his eyes tightly and thought about ordinary things, trying to drive the urges back. Homework. Burgers. A familiar pair of sapphire eyes.

Another police siren was approaching quickly. Kenshin assumed that this one was for him. He was going to have to say something to Saitou; however, the real question was how much did he dare reveal? Could he hide his conversation with Father Hiko a little longer? It would be hard enough to deal with Saitou's suspicions if Kenshin decided to admit that the Shadow Pack was trying to recruit him; however, Kamatari seemed to be the more deadly of the two problems. To admit on top of this Shadow Pack business, that he had peacefully met with a Hunter might just push Saitou over the edge even if that meeting was forced upon Kenshin.

Kenshin almost hoped that he would see Hiko again _and soon_, even if it did result in a fight. He had some harsh words for the priest about his meddlesome mixed intentions before the exorcist killed him.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope that wasn't too confusing with the pronoun switch once Kenshin realized who Kamatari was.

As always, if you have the time please leave a review. I really appreciate the feedback, and at the moment I would definitely benefit from the extra motivation. These allergies are really wearing me down physically.

Next Chapter: Advice From Strange Places

**Teaser: Kaoru nodded, "I'll respect that, but will you at least tell me why you're helping me? It's clear that you think I'm being foolish."**

Oh yes, she's baaaaaaack. ^-^ I'm super happy and I hope that you all will be too. I've really missed Kaoru. It's looking like a short chapter so hopefully I'll have it up soon.


	17. Chapter 17: Advice from Strange Places

Author's Note: Was really trying for a quick turn around given my lackadaisical performance this month. Enjoy!

Special thanks to: acc2787 and Skenshingumi

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Advice from Strange Places**

_What did I do to deserve this? _Kaoru wondered as she walked in silence trying to figure out whom she had wronged recently to deserve such horrible karmatic backlash. Meanwhile, Megumi hung off her arm chatting away and being her usual passive-aggressive self.

'That dress in the window looks stunning!' But of course it wouldn't look good on Kaoru, with her twiggy frame. Or 'that purse is **so** chic,' but 'how could a school girl's allowance buy such a luxury'. Kaoru was ready to snap if Megumi said one more thing. Actually, Kaoru hoped that Megumi **would** say one more thing. She was ready for a fight.

Sanosuke trailed behind them obviously trying to avoid the quarrel.

Kaoru had come to the mall alone looking to pick up a new pair running shoes. It had been an accident that she had run into Megumi and Sanosuke, but now she couldn't seem to get rid of them. When Kaoru had tried to sneak away feigning hunger even though it was way too early in the day for lunch, Megumi had attached herself to Kaoru's arm and suggested that they all grab lunch together. Kaoru should have anticipated the move since this was exactly how she had trapped her and Kenshin the last time. Once again, Kaoru was overruled being that Sanosuke was never one to turn down food.

Megumi leaned in close. "You don't seem very happy these days, Kaoru. Frankly, I'm surprised since your _**Doberman**_ came back home or so I hear. Are you two lovebirds fighting? Or did you just get tired of all the fleas?" She whispered in Kaoru's ear in that smooth, condescending voice of hers.

Kaoru tripped, but Megumi, with her arm entwined through Kaoru's, caught her.

"Oh! You didn't know, did you?" Megumi chortled.

"K-Kenshin? He's in town? " Kaoru stuttered. She turned and looked back at Sanosuke who seemed not to have heard her. Had Kenshin been in contact with him perhaps? Why hadn't Kenshin called her first like he promised to?

Megumi's hand tightened on her arm painfully.

"Ow!" Kaoru yelped. "What did you do that for! If you kno-"

"Oh, look at that! A sale!" Megumi squealed and pulled Kaoru towards the nearest storefront. "Sanosuke," she waved, "go on ahead of us and grab us some fries and three milkshakes! We'll be along shortly. I don't want to bore you with anymore of this shopping."

Sanosuke shrugged, but a softening around his eyes betrayed his relief. "Sure thing, Fox, but if it takes too long then I'm eating all the fries."

"I promise that I'll make it worth your time, dear'" Megumi winked.

As Sanosuke walked off, Kaoru ripped herself from Megumi's grasped and pushed her. "Just what is your problem?"

Megumi regarded Kaoru coldly. "Watch what you say around him. Kenshin may have been his best friend, but that was _then_. Young wolves are unpredictable as I'm sure you've noticed. If you want to be an idiot then that's your choice. I don't want to see Sanosuke get hurt." Megumi said sternly, but there was genuine affection in her voice when she talked about him.

Kaoru rubbed her arm and looked at the ground. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

Megumi sniffed and grabbed Kaoru's hand. She pulled Kaoru towards a wall of racks and Kaoru noticed for the first time that they were standing in a Victoria's Secret.

Megumi began to delicately riffle through the racks of silks, lace, and chiffon. "You have seen him since we spoke last," she declared, "otherwise I suspect you'd still be stumbling around in the woods looking for him. You're a stubborn girl." Oddly, there was no derision in that last sentence. Megumi said it plainly without conceit as a simple statement of fact.

"Yes. How long has he been back?" Kaoru stood besides the older woman but kept her hands to herself. Leave it to Megumi to randomly pick the most uncomfortable store in the mall. Lingere shopping was not something she ever did with a partner. It was to personal.

"About a month, I hear. I'm not certain though; I've been too busy with my own happiness to overly concern myself in your affairs. I take it he hasn't called then?" Megumi asked slyly and chose from the rack a bright pink slip that was ridiculous and over-the-top. It even had that gaudy pink fluff around the hem.

"No." Kaoru admitted.

"It hurts, I bet."

Kaoru nodded and closed her eyes seeing Kenshin standing before her in the woods with those feral eyes of his. With her hands in his, Kenshin had promised that he would come home and that when he did, he would call her. She couldn't believe that he would break his promise to her. She blinked back the memory. How much had he changed in the last four months?

Megumi stared at Kaoru with those deep brown eyes of hers that could be so cold and unreadable; however, she seemed to be searching for something in Kaoru. "And yet you still want to see him again, don't you? Well he won't be too hard to track down this time. He's staying at his old apartment."

"How do you know these things, Megumi. You're not…are you?" Kaoru still had trouble saying it. A _werewolf?_ It still seemed impossible some days, but she couldn't deny the truth. However, it seemed to dangerous and careless to say aloud in public. She had observed first-hand how keen Kenshin's hearing had become. If there were more wolves around, would they see her as a threat knowing these things that she probably should not? "Are you one of them, Megumi? You can't be. Your eyes are brown."

Megumi laughed into the back of her hand. "Oh, silly girl! That is not how you tell the wolves from the sheep." She tilted her head towards Kaoru and spoke in a quieter voice. "Some of them can change their eye color. Most of them cannot, preferring to live as wolves in human clothing. It's more natural for them, you see. They are not human anymore even if they _may _look it; remember that. If you're determined to follow this destructive path, you'll need to be more careful of whom you trust." Megumi returned to her shopping and eyed a short, sheer teddy made of black lace and ribbon. It seemed to float in the air as she held it. Satisfied with it, she draped it over her arm along with the obnoxious pink nightmare. "But as for your question…no, I am not. I am more of a distant cousin to Sir Ken, but that's about all I feel like revealing to you about myself. There aren't many of my kind and we like our privacy."

Kaoru nodded. "I'll respect that, but will you at least tell me why you're helping me? It's clear that you think I'm being foolish."

Megumi waved Kaoru towards the cash register and proceeded to check-out. "Foolish. Reckless. Maybe even a little cute. You've got the whole package going on, little girl. As you may have noticed, I've recently gotten in touch with my own inner hopeless-romantic," Megumi said with a satisfied smile, "while I think that what you're doing is stupidly dangerous, we women have to stick together on some matters."

Megumi asked the cashier for separate bags for both items. This request confused Kaoru until Megumi shoved one of the bags into her face.

Kaoru blushed and tried to fend Megumi off. "No, no, no. I couldn't!"

"Too bad. I'm not taking _no_ for an answer. If you accept the gift then I'll let you off the hook for lunch with Sanosuke and I. Frankly, I suspect that he's already eaten all the fries anyway.

Kaoru gulped and took the bag from Megumi. Megumi grabbed Kaoru's shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. "The full moon lasts for another two days. I recommend that you sit tight until then before charging off into his den. Enjoy the present, little girl. I only hope that your wolf doesn't eat you up." Megumi said wickedly before walking off.

Kaoru stood shaking from embarrassment in the middle of the lingerie store. She peeked into the bag expecting to see the pink teddy, but Kaoru squeaked discovering the sexy black number instead and flushed crimson.

_That woman! She is diabolical! _

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Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review if you have a moment. Thank you!

Chapter 18: The Third Morning

**Teaser: **

Kenshin felt his jaw drop to the floor and quite suddenly he was laughing. "THAT was your wife? She's so...so shor-," Kenshin cut his sentence short as Saitou slid his sidearm out of its holster and leveled the barrel of the gun at Kenshin's shoulder.


	18. Chapter 18: The Third Morning

A full length chapter this time AND we've now reached 50,000k! This story has officially become the longest thing I've ever written, and I'm still loving it. I'm really feeling like I've defeated that bout of writer's block which tripped me up for nearly five years. Now I just have to work on the craft, which I'm aware I need work on.

Special thanks to ac2787for your review last chapter.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

* * *

**Chapter 18: The Third Morning**

Kenshin lay on his back on the cold concrete of the floor with his hands folded beneath his head. It was morning at last and the third morning of the full moon when the influence of the moon and the dominance of his predatory self waned.

Usually, the third morning was a bittersweet respite. His predatory instincts slept soundly usually exhausted by three days of being in the driver's seat, but the third morning was also a trying time for Kenshin. He didn't have to worry about his emotions getting the better of his body but being free to feel meant being free to deal with the darker emotional baggage that came with his new lot in life.

Being a"werewolf" was nothing like Kenshin thought it should be. In the movies a "werewolf" usually only shifted during the full moon. The wretched truth was that a newly made wolf was under constant threat of this, the full moon only made the whole ordeal that much worse.

On the night of a full moon, the change was compulsory for a young wolf. No matter how hard he fought it, his body always shifted involuntarily and then often he blacked out after that. The change that happened during the full moon was different than when Kenshin normally assumed his wolf form. Normally, Kenshin was still aware of the duality that resided within him and was possessed of some human reason.

On the night of a full moon however, all bets were off. There was absolutely no telling what kind of mood he'd be. His rages were particularly bad when Saitou was around which fortunately wasn't often because the night of the full moon was also when The Shadow Pack was the most bold and really ramped up their recruitment efforts. Every man and woman in their pack was needed to patrol the city. Since no one could be spared to babysit Kenshin, it was lock-up for him for three days.

It wouldn't always be this way, Saitou assured him. In time Kenshin should learn control; however, if it weren't for a single memory Kenshin would be tempted to call the man a liar. On the night of his first full moon even with its influence waxing high above him, Kenshin had been able to turn himself away from a deadly fight with Saitou after the horrifying idea of hunting Kaoru down and devouring her had snapped him back to awareness. Every moment of that night remained vivid in his memory. He could recall being in perfect command of himself then so Kenshin had to believe that it was possible even if he had his reservations about Saitou's honesty lately

The heavy metal door opened and Gendo poked his head into the room. He looked so different in his uniform without his baggy pants, indie T-shirts and most noticeably the spiked cuffs around his wrists. "Morning, sunshine. Would you like one blueberry pancake or two? Anyway, Mother wants to see you in his office," he said.

Gendo may have looked different…but he was still an ass.

Kenshin picked himself off the cold concrete in time to catch the pair of pants that came careening through the air. He caught the shirt that followed, but missed the shoes.

"You know," Kenshin growled as he dressed. "You could just hand them to me or leave them in a corner."

"Not a chance, buddy. Tormenting you is about the only fun I've had in 72 hours. We got our asses kicked last night."

"Everyone okay?" Kenshin asked genuinely worried about his pack mates.

Gendo nodded. "Yeah, just some bruised skulls. Saitou will tell you all about it. Dude, I am going home and passing-the-fuck-out. I'm dog tired."

Both Kenshin and Gendo cringed at the unintentional pun.

"Okay, man, I'll see you around then." Kenshin said slapping Gendo on the back with only a little extra force than necessary. The policeman stumbled forward but grinned back at Kenshin. For all Kenshin's complaints, tormenting Gendo right back was pretty fun too.

The door of Saitou's office opened and a very small woman emerged. She was dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a biker's jacket. The woman had the molten gold eyes of a wolf, but a large friendly smile for Kenshin. For his part, Kenshin did not recognize her in the slightest. She said nothing as they passed each other, but he nodded politely and walked up to Saitou's office.

Saitou was standing in front of a large map of the city with his arms crossed in front of him, and he looked furious. It was becoming a standard posture for the police chief.

Kenshin knocked on the wooden door frame before entering. His heart wasn't in antagonizing Saitou with blatant rudeness today perhaps because it was the third morning. Saitou turned and motioned him towards the board. As Kenshin approached, he noticed that there were four new pins stuck in the board. Two black, one red, one yellow. Two fatalities, one victim, one missing. That meant one new recruit the Shadow Pack, but that did not mean there weren't others which the police didn't know about yet. There would be at least one or two suspicious missing person's reports. There always were he had heard the other officers say.

"Long night," Kenshin observed.

"Yes," Saitou said stoically. "They only got away with one though. We recovered the other survivor. His recovery is nothing short of remarkable his doctors tell me, so you can guess what that means for the poor bastard. I've assigned Tokio to oversee his conditioning. I'm not sure where I'm going to find another cell though. It's rather unusual that we have more than one young blood at a time given our policy of non-interference with humans."

Kenshin fought to keep his expression fixed and free of the distrust he felt. "Your wife is back in town? When do I get to meet her?" He asked hoping to distract Saitou with more cheerful conversation. Admittedly, there was an element of curiosity too. Tokio was the only member of the pack that Kenshin had not met yet. Saitou seemed to be intentionally keeping his mate from him inexplicably.

"You already met her," Saitou said, "she left just now."

Kenshin felt his jaw drop to the floor and quite suddenly he was laughing. "THAT was your wife? She's so...so shor-" Kenshin cut his sentence short as Saitou slid his sidearm out of its holster and leveled the barrel of the gun at Kenshin's shoulder.

Kenshin scratched his head and laughed nervously. "Cute. She's so very cute," he said instead.

Saitou put his weapon away but the protective aura surrounding him did not go away.

"So when do I get to formally meet her?" Kenshin asked.

"When your manners improve." He said coldly and picked up a green pin from a wire basket on the corner of his desk. He suck it besides the black pin on the board. "But we're not here to talk about my mate. We have a problem."

"Is that what the green pin is? A problem?" Kenshin had never seen a green pin on the board before.

"Yes. A **big **one."

Kenshin shifted his weight onto his other leg, unaware that he was physically shrinking away from Saitou. "So what's the deal? I'm a little cut off from the current events having been stuck in that cell and all."

"Himura, have you tried to contact your legal guardian lately?"

There it was. The question he had been dreading. "No." Kenshin responded quickly but firmly. Avoiding the truth was easy.. if he did it fast enough.

Saitou stared at Kenshin looking for a reason to doubt him. Apparently, he found it too because Saitou continued the interrogation. "Have you talked to him?" Saitou asked more directly.

Kenshin hesitated. It was difficult to disobey one's alpha.. Given that Kenshin's rebellious nature was so strong, lying to Saitou was still possible if they were simple lies or omissions. "No," he said to Saitou as a sick oily feeling swept through him.

Saitou laid a hand on Kenshin's shoulder with violence in his eyes. "Himura, I can tell that you're lying. I am ordering you to answer my questions," the alpha commanded. The weight of his words hit Kenshin like a wall of cold water. "Have you talked to him," Kenshin's alpha asked again.

Kenshin's lips moved to deny it once more, but he could not give voice to the words.

"You stupid boy," Saitou growled, "you have, haven't you? His hand tightened around the back of Kenshin's neck and he threw Kenshin down into an office chair in front of his desk. "I grow tired of your disobedience; you will tell me what he said to you," Saitou said with the full weight of his authority heaped on Kenshin in the command.

And Kenshin found himself doing just that-but slowly. Kenshin could not disobey, but he could choose his words carefully. He told Saitou how Hiko had been waiting for him in the apartment one day. Kenshin swore that he had not contacted his guardian on his own and Saitou appeared to accept his word.

He kept things simple, telling Saitou about the short scuffle and of Hiko's terse explanation of his duties as a Hunter for the Church. Initially Saitou asked him several pointed questions trying to build a complete image of how much Kenshin knew of the Church, but at the first mention of the Church's interest in the Shadow Pack, his line of questioning changed to Kenshin's great relief. It spared him, for the moment, from having to reveal what he knew about the Hiten Mitsurugi style to Saitou or that he had been trained in the style with some measure of mastery. Kenshin did not want Saitou knowing that one detail if at all possible. Kenshin did not want to become a weapon against the Church...and against Hiko, unless he chose it for himself.

Saitou rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Well it doesn't sound like you did anything to provoke them. Thank god for small favors, I suppose. Is there anything else you need to tell me. Has Seijiro Hiko contacted you since that day?"

Kenshin shook his head. "No, but…," he knew he should come clean about the money, but he also knew that it would cast suspicion on him. Saitou had not yet asked him why he had delayed and withed this information.

"But what? It's too late now to go back on that slip. Out with it or I will pistol-whip it out of you."

"I just got a notice that automatic payments had resumed from the Church to the amount of my old rent and living expenses."

"DAMMIT, Himura! Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

"The Shadow Pack seemed like more of a priority. I was planning on telling you about all of it after the full moon. It's not like I could have spent any of it from in here."

"I decide what is priority! When are you going to get that?" Saitou sighed and walked back to the board.

When Saitou did not keep yelling at him Kenshin began to notice certain things about his alpha: like how pale and calm Satiou looked. The calmness was relative of course. Ordinarily, Saitou's commanding presence dominated the room. And any back-talk of insubordination was dealt with swiftly often with physical violence, but today, the chief seemed tired.

Any other day, Kenshin might felt more smug about it. Today though, he felt a sympathetic connection to his alpha.

"So what do you want me to do about it…sir," Kenshin said with what he hoped was accepted as respected instead of cheek.

Saitou raised an eyebrow at thee gesture. "Kissing my ass isn't going to get you out of trouble, but I appreciate the attempt. I want you to return the money to the Church as a donation." Saitou laughed, "I can't believe that we are actually paying tithe to that lot. What is the world coming to?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you know why they are so interested in you?" Saitou asked.

"They're interested in you too…," Kenshin said. "Hiko said that I once belonged to them, and I never even knew it." he said with some bitterness. "I should have been protected so now there is some suspicion that the treaty was broken: that I was intentionally targeted to lure them into a fight, and that you are the one behind the Shadow Pack."

Saitou laughed. "Oh I see, maybe that's why I haven't slept in a week. Apparently I'm too busy herding **two **packs of wild dogs who just so happen to be tearing each other apart right now. It makes perfect sense. Morons." Saitou growled. "And what do you think of their assessment?" he asked and held Kenshin's gaze in those molten gold eyes of his. It had finally come to a question of Kenshin's loyalty.

Kenshin felt the stirrings of his combative self answering the challenge in Saitou's eyes. "I've fought the Shadow Pack, remember? They don't fight or kill like we do: like you trained me to. I think they must be different." He said and immediately wished he could take it back. The word, _think, _did not denote certainty.

As Saitou continued to hold his gaze, Kenshin grew uncomfortable, but eventually the police chief broke eye contact. "A reasonable observation a wolf would make, good.

"That green dot? Are you going to tell me what it means or am I just going to have to accidentally blunder it before you let me in on this pack secret."

"Ironically, the two situations are not unrelated. We had an…incident with the Hunters last night. They came upon us as we were retrieving the second of the Shadow Pack's victims."

"Was there a fight?"

"Yes, until I arrived. They did not feel like challenging me last night. They wanted to. I could sense that, and this explains why. Fortunately no one was seriously injured on either side so the truce still stands between us."

"Was Father Hiko there?" Kenshin asked trying to sound disinterested.

"No. Just a few young mongrels chafing against the treaty. Are you worried about him?" Saitou questioned with a small sneer.

With the geass of Saitou's command still laying heavily on him, Kenshin could not deny it. "A little. It's harder knowing now what he is and what he's done. He's murdered those like me...but he was still important in my life."

"Seijiro Hiko is one of the most deadly warriors of his ilk. He is a hunter, and exorcist, and a killer. Will you try to disobey me again when I tell you he must not be trusted?"

Kenshin paused and thought about it. He remembered, quite clearly, the look in Father Hiko's face as he stood above him with a naked blade at his throat. Whatever the priests feelings were towards Kenshin, there was no doubt in Kenshin's mind that his mentor hated wolves vehemently. To what extent could Hiko's feelings for Kenshin be trusted. "No," Kenshin answered sincerely. "I know that things are not like they were."

Saitou turned from the board and sat down at this desk. He fished around in his desk drawer before removing his ashtray and a pack of cigarettes. It was strange, those two items normally sat out in plain sight. Kenshin wondered if Saitou's mate objected to the smoking despite the fact that unlike a normal man, Saitou could not be hurt by tobacco. "This is terribly timed. I know I told you to take some time off to work on your issues, but I was hoping to use you in the field again sooner rather than later. Consider this vacation extended indefinitely. No patrols in the foreseeable future."

Kenshin felt strangely hurt by Saitou's lack of faith. Maybe Kamatari was wrong? Maybe Kenshin was starting to buy into this pack business? But maybe it was only his human half that wanted that sense of belonging.

"Don't get me wrong, Himura I want to trust in your loyalties; otherwise, I would have thrown you out of this pack already," Saitou said sensing Kenshin's mood. "I worry that your presence though might provoke a fight between us. I cannot afford to be fighting a war on two fronts. If they suspect me as the leader of the Shadow Pack, we are already walking a thin line politically."

A small voice inside objected to the thought of a wolf as a political creature. "Can I get going? I kinda want to take a shower," Kenshin asked. If he was thinking these thoughts, he wanted to be away from Saitou before he began indulging the urge to fight and bicker with him.

Saitou waved him off and lit a cigarette. As Kenshin crossed the threshold, Saitou called out a final command. "Don't give me anymore reasons to change my mind about trusting you, Himura."

Those words hit him like a brick between his shoulder blades. A tremendous sense of guilt overcame Kenshin as he retrieved his motorcycle from the impound. Kenshin had escaped with a single secret, that of his knowledge of the Hiten Mitsurugi style, but the burden of that weighed heavily on him as he returned home.

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Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you have a moment, please leave me some feedback. Thanks!

Chapter 19: Reunion

**Teaser:**

Her blues eyes were startlingly hard and alight with anger, but in the fading light Kaoru had never looked more beautiful.

"You've changed your lock," she said and dangled his old apartment keys from her index finger.


	19. Chapter 19: Reunion

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not won these characters.

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**Chapter 19: Reunion**

It was the day after the full moon. The sun was setting as Kenshin returned home with dinner. It bathed the white cement walls of his apartment complex in a warm orange glow. He was climbing the stairs to his apartment when it happened. The wind was blowing from the west carrying her scent away from him which was how Kenshin suddenly found himself standing in front of Kamiya Kaoru without warning.

The long strands of her black hair danced on the wind; she sat on the top step with her legs crossed in front of her. Her blues eyes were startlingly hard and alight with anger, but in the fading light Kaoru had never looked more beautiful.

"You've changed your lock," she said and dangled his old apartment keys from her index finger. Kaoru had added a feminine floral keychain to the key ring, but Kenshin recognized the worn green clamp that he used to attach to his belt.

Kenshin couldn't move. He could barely breathe, but he needed to act and he needed the right words: words that were cold and harsh. Words that would make her go away. What could he say to make her _want _to forget about him? Try as he might; he couldn't do it. Kenshin couldn't find a single cruel thought in his head with her stern eyes turned on him. In truth, a part of him was just happy to see her.

"Have you forgotten how to speak while you were in the forest? Is that why you haven't called? You promised me, Kenshin."

Kenshin flinched from her anger; Kaoru was doing better at this than he was. Maybe she was mad enough that would leave on her own if he said nothing. Unfortunately the words "I'm sorry," tumbled out of his mouth before he knew what hit him.

Kaoru glared at him as she stood up. She paused to adjust the skirt of her school uniform. "We need to talk." She said and motioned for the door.

Kenshin sighed and climbed to the top of the landing. His hand shook as he opened and held the door for her. He was shocked and horrified by his own stupidity. He was letting her in AGAIN, and in more ways than one, he realized. He wasn't just letting her into his home this time.

Kaoru brushed past him and removed her shoes at the door, not a good sign. Apparently she wasn't planning on leaving in a hurry. She took a turn around the room. "You're still a neat freak. So I assume that you're still capable of NOT living like an animal," Kaoru said rounding on him.

He shut the door and set the bag of food down besides her shoes. Kenshin did **not **remove his shoes; however, in case he was the one needing to leave in a hurry for her sake. "Kaoru, listen to me. It's just not safe for you to-"

She crossed the floor quickly with the speed and grace of an accomplished kendo student and slapped him across the face. "Baka!"

Kenshin growled and grabbed her wrist. He pulled her towards him and held her arm against his chest. "Don't. Don't ever." He warned in a deep and voice. His face was inches from hers.

Kaoru to her credit did not flinch when he was trying to be scary. She lifted her chin in defiance. "I trust you, Kenshin, even now. I. _Trust. _You," she said placing emphasis on the present tense of the verb, but Kenshin could feel her heart beating loudly against his chest and smelled a hint of fear. It did not compliment her usual sweet smell at all.

"You shouldn't, Kaoru. Look me in the eyes and tell me what you see, honestly." He ordered and did not make any attempt to lower or control the fever in his body. He could see his amber-eyed reflection in her large blue eyes. He could also see the stirrings of the hunger that he felt for Kaoru in them and wondered if she would recognize it too. He had not wanted to show her this, but it had to be done. Saitou told him to be cold in order to be kind. Well…he'd let her stare down his predatory self and see if she could continue to deny the problem then.

Her bottom lip trembled as they faced off, but her eyes remained determined. Again, Kenshin was struck by how beautiful she looked, his brave little Kaoru. _God dammit_, Kenshin had never wanted to kiss her so badly. That included their first kiss and last kiss, the one they had shared while he was still human.

He didn't want it to be like this when he kissed her again when-no, _if he ever kissed her again_, Kenshin corrected himself.

"What I see is Kenshin Himura," Kaoru insisted stubbornly, "the boy who saved me in the park and again in the mountains. I see a _person _whom I really care about! But what I don't understand is why he seems to have forgotten this!"

Kenshin dropped her hand angrily and brushed past her. "Then you're the one being idiotic, Kaoru." He sank onto the edge of his bed and buried his face in his hands resting his elbows on his knees.

"What has that man filled your head with, Kenshin? Look at what he's done to you," she said clearly referencing Saitou.

Kenshin shook his head. "It's not him, Kaoru. It's me. You wouldn't understand."

"I want to, Kenshin, but you have to talk to me."

Kenshin closed his eyes and sighed. Yes he could do that. He could tell her the truth, and it would surely drive her away. "I've hurt people, Kaoru. I'm a murderer. That's what Saitou was implying back in the mountains. There was something that I didn't want to tell you if you didn't have tok now. There are a lot of somethings actually," he sighed.

"Kenshin…"

"I killed Tomoe," he blurted out before she could start in with her kind-hearted words of sympathy. "Are you listening, Kaoru? I killed her on the night of my first full moon. She knew what I was becoming. She said she wanted to save my humanity, but to that end she tried to kill me. So I ripped her a part with my claws and dipped my maw in her blood." Kenshin snarled and dug his fingernails into the skin around his eyes remembering the sight of her broken and bloody body beneath him. "I still dream about it. You couldn't imagine what her blood tasted like, Kaoru. Plum wine. Isn't that _funny_?" He sneered. "That someone as cold as Tomoe could be so sweet on the _inside_."

Between his fingers he could see Kaoru kneel in front of him. Her small hands reached up and she threaded her fingers through his. Kaoru pulled his hands away from his face. "Stop this," she said sternly.

He looked at her sorrowfully. "There's more, Kaoru, and you have to hear all of it. I killed my father too, but that was a long time ago. It happened before I met you. It's why I am alone. I don't have an excuse for that murder other than that he was an evil man, but that doesn't excuse how I went about it. I still dream about that one too, and I have for years. It was the first moment I ever felt free, and I was happy for it at the time. That kill was all mine. **Mine**. Kenshin Himura's. That's the kind of _man _I am."

"You're trying to frighten me," Kaoru said no longer sounding as sure of herself.

"For good reason! Why can't you understand this, Kaoru? On that first night, I wanted to kill you too! I wanted to run you down and revel in it. If Saitou hadn't arrived when he did I might not have been able to stop myself. Do you see now what kind of a monster I am? What kind of monster I've _always_ been? It's not safe for me to be around you."

"Do you still think about hurting me?"

"No, not like that." he admitted. In his dreams he chased Kaoru's scent through the mountains sometimes, but no longer with the intent to kill. They were pleasant dreams; dreams where he hoped to find her and convince her to run with him. But he never found her there in the forests. "But I might do it on accident like I hurt, Tomoe."

"Then I'm not afraid." Kaoru said.

"Why won't you just go away, Kaoru? Please," he begged and his voice broke, "I've never been more afraid then when you're around."

_And never been happier, you moron_. That other voice inside his head taunted.

"It's okay be afraid, Kenshin. It's very…human. Besides, if I leave, who do you have left?" She asked and she gripped his hand tightly.

"I have my pack now. I'm not alone. You can walk away. I'll be cared for in a sense," Kenshin assured her. It was the first time he had ever recognized that he was apart of something now. Saying it aloud made him feel better he realized despite his current reservations about Saitou.

"Yeah right." Kaoru said and tore her hands away. "And if you trip up, Saitou is going to kill you. I remember what he said at the police station that day. He'll put you down if he can't control you. I don't trust him, Kenshin and neither should you."

"He's my alpha, Kaoru."

Kaoru frowned; it was clear that she did not fully comprehend. "Kenshin, I know that you're _this_ now. I understand that you're…a wolf." She said and Kenshin lowered his eyes feeling somewhat shamed to hear her say it so plainly. Strangely, there was no fear radiating from her anymore. "But I also know that you're so much more than your baser instincts. Until, I know that you won't sacrifice the man that you were to please Saitou or to satisfy these urges that I don't understand yet, I can't walk away from you."

Kenshin was exhausted, comforted, and frightened by her words. What else could he say to make her walk away and never look back? If he ran again, he suspected that she would follow.

"Look, you can tell me when you need me to back off. I understand certain situations are delicate for you and I won't judge you about your past. But stop trying to make me change my mind, Kenshin! I'm already involved. Let me be a friend to you. Wouldn't it be good to have some normalcy back in your life?"

"But why Kaoru? I was a stranger to you a few months ago. If this is because you still feel guilty, you don't owe me anything. I'm getting on with my life."

Kaoru flipped her hair over her shoulder and with a big smile, "because maybe Megumi is right and I am an idiotic girl."

"What does Megumi have to do with anything? I didn't think you were friends."

"Oh we're not," Kaoru snorted and stood up. "I should get home before my uncle starts to worry. If I come by tomorrow after school you'll still be here, right?"

Kenshin nodded.

"Okay, Kenshin. I'm going to hold you to your promise this time. If you skip town on me again, I swear it will be dry kibble for you the rest of your days."

Kenshin stared at Kaoru with a confused frown. She sounded remarkably like Gendo. "Why is everyone so fond of that joke?"

"It's a good joke. You just lack a sense of humor, Grumps McGee," she said as she slipped her shoes back on.

As she closed the door behind her, Kenshin flopped onto his side on his bed. "Great," he grumbled into his comforter. "Now I have another secret to keep from Saitou." Intrigue and lies were piling on top of each other. It would only be a matter of time before something gave. Could his life possibly get any worse?

…

Kamatari stood across the street watching the girl climb onto her bike and speed off. "Ugh, disgusting. Another human brat?" She spat. Having Yumi around was bad enough.

Humans generally didn't make good company for wolves; those stories usually had tragic endings. Humans were much too breakable and they frightened easily. For these reasons, Kamatari couldn't figure out why Lord Shishio wasted his time with that whore of his; however, it made more sense for Saitou's stupid young blood to be shacking up with a vile human tramp. The girl had probably been his girlfriend or something before his change. Some attachments were hard to let go of in the beginning.

This might actually work out for Kamatari's purposes. That prude, Saitou, would not have approved of this relationship if he we aware of it which meant that Kamatari had a new weakness exploit. "Sleep well, sweet prince." she said innocently as she winked up at Kenshin's second story apartment. "You're going to need it."

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Author's Note: I've got no teaser this time. I'll confess, I've been suffering a little bit of writer's block lately due to some IRL stresses. If you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review or even some encouragement. I'm feeling really guilty about my updates being so far a part in the last couple of months. I'm sorry, guys. :(


	20. Chapter 20: Your Faith In Your Friends

Author's Note: If you couldn't tell, I wrote this chapter while watching Return of the Jedi. I could not come up with a title for the life-of-me, but then this exchange between Luke and the Emperor happened and it just clicked into place. "Your confidence is your weakness, your highness." "Your faith in your friends is yours."

One more thing. I have started a livejournal where I'll try to post updates on my stories and the forthcoming chapters. But most importantly, a lot of your feedback seems to indicate that because of the length of time between updates, some details are being forgotten. I don't want that to be an obstacle to all of you, my wonder readers :), so I've started a small FAQ on the blog about the progression of the story and the characters. In future updates, I'll link to the FAQ in the Author's Note. It's my intention to update the FAQ with every update so at any point you'll be able to refer back to the blog post and reference prior chapters. New happenings in the story will not be added to the story until the following chapter is posted to avoid spoilers.

Chapter summaries found on livejournal, under the username bassocontinuo4.

Thank you Skenshingumi, Melay, and . for your reviews over the last two chapters.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not own these characters.

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**Chapter 20: Your Faith In Your Friends**

Kaoru stopped by the next day after school. Kenshin knew quite well how long it took to reach his apartment from St. Jude's Academy. Even on her bike, she was so prompt that Kaoru must have run from the classroom as soon the final bell rang to make it here in such record time.

"You're still here!" She had grinned when he opened the door to her.

"That I am," he said as she brushed past, "but I have to wonder how you're here so quickly. Doesn't the class president have duties to attend to after class?"

Kaoru tossed her backpack onto his couch and helped herself to a glass of juice and the fixings for a sandwich with an air of such familiarity that Kenshin began to wonder just how much time had she spent at his place after he abandoned it.

"They normally do, but not today," she said as she stacked enough food in her arms to prepare a three-foot hero. "I don't think I've ever seen so many condiments gathered in any one place that wasn't a grocery store. What's with that, Kenshin? I count a dozen different salad dressing but only this half-brown head of cabbage for a sandwich," and waved the head of cabbage in over her head.

Kenshin wrinkled his nose catching the scent of the rotting vegetation. "I don't really eat a lot of salads, but the dressing make an easy marinade for meats."

"And this coming from a man who once liked his rabbit uncooked…" she smirked. "You've changed, Kenshin."

He shifted uncomfortably at her joke. "Not so much as you might think, Kaoru. The dressing helps to hide the blandness of refrigerated meat," he confessed. "It's not as good as when it is fresh."

"Oh." She said quietly and lowered her eyes to her task.

"You seem to have an awful lot of free time to be spend with this high school drop-out."

"I…haven't been honest with you, Kenshin. I quit the student council." She said quietly without meeting his eyes.

Kenshin frowned. "When did you do this?"

"A few days ago," she said and said nothing more as she spread an unhealthy amount of mayo across two slices of white bread.

"Why, Kaoru? I didn't need you to do that. I'm fine. Really, I am. You need to live-"

"What _I need _is for you to stop trying to make my mind up for me." She said pointing the knife at him with an angry thrust. "What _I want _is to make my own choices without you, or my uncle, or our teachers butting in and insisting upon what's good for me. I make good grades. I'll have exemplary references. I'll be able to get into any university I want to. Don't worry. And if I can't then my uncle has the means to make a significant donation to the university of my choice and guarantee my admittance.

"And what about Misao? You shouldn't be ditching your oldest friends for someone like me. I don't deserve it."

"Just what kind of friend do you think I am?" Kaoru added defensively. "Look, I've been in the same class as Misao since primary school. We see each other at school for six hours, every day. Even best friends can use some time apart. I'm not neglecting, Misao. Stop worrying. We actually prefer our independence from one another. That's how we work. At least I didn't up and leave my best friend without a word of goodbye. I bet Sanosuke doesn't even know that your alive!"

Kenshin winced. "It's complicated…I mean, you were there. You saw the wolf that attacked me, and yet even you doubted Saitou when he explained it to us at the precint. How would I explain something like that to him?"

"You could show him, you know. Hey, just what do you look like when you transform. I'm curious," she asked.

Kenshin physically recoiled from her. "Please don't ask me that," he begged.

"Kenshin, I won't judge you," she said as she plated the sandwich. "I'm not afraid."

"It's not like that," he said, "I'm the one that's afraid. I think differently when I'm in my other form. I feel things differently. I worry that I wouldn't behave myself around you."

Kaoru walked towards him with the plate held in one hand. "You're upset." She threaded her arm through his and guided him to the couch. "I won't press you on this. I promised you that I would back off when you needed me to so please don't give it another thought."

He sat down besides her and stiffened as she leaned against his shoulder. Kaoru had a funny way of 'backing off'. "Kaoru, just how did you find out that I was in town anyway?"

Kaoru held a bite of the sandwich up to his mouth. As Kenshin took the food that was offered, his tongue accidentally flicked across her fingertips. The taste of the turkey sandwich was overpowered by the electricity that dominated his senses in that moment.

"I had some help, but I think she wishes to remain anonymous," Kaoru admitted.

A short growl ripped from his throat and Kenshin leaned over her. "She? Kaoru, what did _she_ look like? This is important: have you ever met her before?" He asked fearing that Kamatari had somehow discovered their connection and tricked Kaoru into coming here because it suited her agenda.

"Y-yes," Kaoru stuttered with wide eyes at the sudden change that had come over him. "I know her, Kenshin, but I can't tell you anymore than that. I promised her that I wouldn't pry. She knows about what you are though, but that's all I know. I swear it's fine."

Kenshin looked into her eyes and saw his amber gaze reflected in them. It was the same as yesterday. He had frightened her again; that much was clear. Her shoulders trembled ever so slightly as he loomed over her with his hackles raised. She licked her bottom lip nervously, but never broke eye contact.

The sound of his heart was suddenly very loud to him and he did not feel exactly right. It didn't feel like his body was shifting, but he still didn't feel right at all. Kenshin told himself to sit back down and give her space, but his head dipped low towards her moving in for a kiss. His teeth clenched down on pleasured growl and with his nose full of her cinnamon sweet scent, his lips brushed hers. And then the doorbell rang.

Kenshin pulled himself back and quickly got up from the couch fuming as he walked to the door. He was angry at the interruption, and angry at himself for letting the moment get even that far. That mistake had come too easy. He could not let Kaoru get so close again.

Checking the peephole first, Kenshin found Gendo waiting impatiently outside his door.

This was not wrong.

"Kenshin, what's wrong?" Kaoru asked.

Kenshin winced and briefly put his finger to his lips knowing that it was probably already too late for the warning. A wolf would not have misheard her. He motioned for her to take cover in the bathroom where he could defend her if necessary. It shouldn't be necessary, he insisted to himself. Kenshin had always been good at predicting outcomes in fights and reading people. Was Kenshin good enough to predict his pack mate's response now?

Gendo, although an incredible ass, was not really an aggressive animal. He rarely chose to pick the fights that came down to physical contests despite the superior speed he possessed over even the likes of Saitou. He could be formidable but, there is a weakness in his nature._ I would win in a fight against him._

After the bathroom door clicked shut with Kaoru safely behind it, Kenshin opened the doorway and did his best to look disinterested and casual.

"What's up? If Saitou sent you to check-in on me, you can tell him that I'm doing fine.

Gendo took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair mussing up the straight, sever style that he wore when he was in uniform. "He did, but I'm off for the day so I thought we could hang out tonight and go grab a beer or something, man. I can't imagine that a dullard likes you takes himself out too often, but then again…it seems like you've found ways of entertaining yourself here at home." He grinned.

"Go home, Gendo. You didn't see anything here, got it?" Kenshin threatened.

"I haven't seen anything…yet," and then the young officer sprang into action.

Kenshin took a sharp elbow to his abdomen and a left hook to his face which sent him careening into the door-frame as Gendo lunged forward into the apartment. Kenshin tried to reach for him, but Gendo slipped beneath his arms and dodged left. He ran straight to the kitchen area and halted. At the very least it was as far from the bathroom as he could be while still remaining in the apartment.

Kenshin pushed off from the doorway and put himself squarely between the kitchen and the bathroom door. "Get out or I will throw you out," he shouted.

Gendo raised his hands above his head with his palms outstretched. "Eaaaaasy there, Kenshin. Wolves get a little crazy about their mates. I'm not going to hurt her or rat you out to the boss man just yet. I'm just curious about what kind of girl she is."

"She's not my mate," he grumbled and felt sick to his stomach saying so. He was not ready to admit that a part of him wanted that to be so.

"You knew her from before, didn't you? Was she your girlfriend? Does she know about it all, man?"

Kenshin recognized the tone voice that Gendo was using on him and it pissed him off. It was a negotiator's voice. This must be how he treated witnesses on the job. "You can stop patronizing me now, Gendo. With how often I've been at the precinct these days, I know what you're trying to do. I'm not some sort of hysterical witness. I don't need to be calmed down."

"HAH hah! Oh yeah, you are the definition of serenity right now, Kenshin. Just level with me, will you? Maybe I can help you two. How much does she know?"

"Nothing." Kenshin said.

"Oh come on, give me more credit than that. I can smell that you're lying. You've got to start learning to trust your pack mates. You may as well start by leveling with me."

"Kenshin…do you know him?" Came come Kaoru's muffled voice from behind the bathroom.

"Kaoru, I'm handling this. Just please stay put," he asked, praying that his willful Kaoru might actually listen to him just this once.

Gendo perked up at the sound of her voice and tried speaking with Kenshin's more reasonable half. "Hello there, Miss! Kenshin's being a little grumpy about it right now, but we're brothers after a sort. Do you think you can give me a hand talking my delinquent brother down so we can all sit down and chat?"

"Kenshin, do you really know him like he says?" Kaoru asked again.

"Yes." Kenshin admitted. It wasn't fair that Gendo was side-stepping him by speaking directly to Kaoru. She was too trusting! "But we're only _pack _brothers," he clarified.

"Well then listen to him for Christ's sake! I'm sensing a standoff from the other side of this door and I'd rather not spend my entire night in your bathroom."

"She's an intuitive one isn't she," Gendo asked with that cocky smile of his.

"Shut up," Kenshin snapped, "and behave."

Gendo rolled his eyes. "I will, I will. Geez, you sound more like Mother everyday."

Kaoru's slender face popped out through a crack in the doorway and seemed to analyze the situation before joining Kenshin at his side.

"Hello, Miss. I'm Gendo Ayane! It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hello," Kaoru began and extended her hand. "I'm Kaoru Ka-"

"It's just Kaoru for now," Kenshin interrupted and took Kaoru's hand in his before Gendo could return her handshake

Gendo looked hurt and honestly, Kenshin felt half guilty about it He was being pretty harsh on Gendo. Kenshin realized it, but he could seem to control himself in the moment. It was just that he didn't want another hotblooded young-blood touching Kaoru. It was unsafe for her, he told himself.

"Can we all just sit down and cool off?" Kaoru prompted.

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Gendo chirped and threw himself down on the couch. The young police offer stretched out and rested his boots on the clean ivory armrest of Kenshin's couch. Kenshin frowned. Not only were Gendo's shoes dirtying the furniture, but it left only the armchair for both Kenshin and Kaoru.

Kenshin offered her the armchair and stood at her side with his hand on her shoulder.

"Aww, look at you two! And for the record I don't believe you for a second, Miss Kaoru," Gendo said sitting back up. "Look, I'll be honest. I don't exactly condone this relationship, and I'm sorry but I don't think that Kenshin's any good for you. You seem like a nice girl, and I think you deserve someone equally nice who'll understand you…as a human."

"So what are you going to do about us, Gendo," Kenshin asked.

Gendo tilted his head to the left and looked up at him, "I'm going to do whatever you tell me to, Kenshin. I want you to start trusting your pack, and I want this independently of my alpha. So don't go thinking that this is some ploy by Saitou to get you to trust us. We don't get many new recruits in Saitou's pack, and I like you. There's no one anywhere near my age. You're way more fun than the rest of those old farts."

"So you really will walk out of here and say nothing of this to Saitou."

"Not on my own I won't. I promise. But if he asks me about it, you know I won't be able to lie to him."

"I understand." Kenshin said knowing how hard it was.

"There's more. I'll help you protect her, Kenshin, until you come to your senses about how this'll never work. If you ask this of me and if I doesn't involve me disobeying our alpha then I'll do it as your _brother_."

It was tempting, but how much of this was true selflessness and how much was this just Gendo's negotiator's skills in action. "I'll think about it."

"Well you have my number, Kenshin. Whatever it takes to earn your trust. And Miss Kaoru, I'd like to give you my card too. There may be times when Kenshin cannot come to you. The full moon is pretty hard on him, but if I can, I will do everything I can to help you." Gendo's demeanor was transformed. He was serious, almost morose, and his amber eyes and voice had an intensity to it that was abnormal.

"Thank you," Kaoru said nervously. "Kenshin, I should probably be getting home. My uncle will start calling soon."

"I'll walk you out, Miss," Gendo offered and handed Kaoru her bag.

"Thank you. That would be apprecia-oh damn, one second!" Kaoru cursed and started fishing in her bag. She dumped a yellow box in Kenshin's hand that contained one of those prepaid cell phones.

"I know I should probably call before coming over in case it's a bad time, and I thought this would be better than calling your old number. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I figured this couldn't be tracked as easily by the err-the police," Kaoru said looking apologetically at Gendo.

"Intuitive and smart too," Gendo said with a somber face. "Good."

Kenshin looked into Gendo's eyes worried. _She's going to need to be. Isn't she? _He asked.

Whether Gendo could hear his thoughts like they sometimes could in their wolf forms or if he was just reading Kenshin's body language, Kenshin wasn't sure. Every ability they had was duller in their human forms, but Gendo understood and nodded.

_What am I doing_, Kenshin wondered for the one-hundredth time.

* * *

Author's Note: If you enjoyed the chapter please take a moment to leave a review.

**Teaser: Chapter 21 - Her Blood on the Concrete**

Her bike was a ruined mess; the back tire had been clearly mangled by a wolf's powerful jaws. Kenshin howled in rage. Kamatari would pay for this!


End file.
